My Eternity
by LuanRina
Summary: AU. Everything was supposed to go according to his plans, but a single night's tragic events and their consequences changed it all... Kaname/Zero
1. Soundless Bells

**My Eternity**

A Vampire Knight Fan Fiction

**Disclaimer: **Obviously not mine. Those who have read my other VK story already know what I'd have done if it did belong to me XD So here I'm just playing around with our dear boys and my twisted imagination, and am so damn enjoying it!

**Pairings:** Kaname/Zero (eventually), Ichiru/Zero (yes, people, _exactly _in that order because I prefer it that way) and possibly some tiny bits of Kaname/Yuuki (very slight and rare though, as you know I hate it)

**Warnings: **AU. Yaoi, means boys love means male x male; some OOC-ness, but I'll still try to reduce it to minimum; a bit (or not a bit) of twincest, mature situations, gore at some points, lots of angst, dark themes and etc. The story is rated M for a reason. Don't like – don't read. Also I'm really sorry for all grammar and other mistakes; I'll try my hardest to reduce them to minimum, but English is obviously not my native language.

_**A/N: **__Just hope you'll enjoy it. Had this story in mind for some time (as well as this chapter in particular, ready and waiting on my laptop), but hesitated to post it. But now I don't, so... Please read and review! :D_

**Chapter 1: Soundless Bells**

A quiet creak sounded as a door to the dark room was pushed slightly ajar, allowing a small figure to half-step in. Amethyst orbs of Kiryuu Zero peered into the darkness, immediately landing on a lump on the bed not too far. Closing the door quietly, he moved forward, but faltered after a few steps, uncertainty suddenly creeping into his being.

He didn't even know why he was here. His legs brought him in this room on their own accord. But he doubted he should stay – he _couldn't _stay, not after what he had unintentionally heard a few minutes ago. Because his brother would know. Ichiru would see, he would feel that something was wrong with him and it wouldn't take him long to pinpoint the reason behind it. He was always good at that, he always read him like an open book, so that most of the time Zero didn't even need to say anything if he didn't want to. Because Ichiru was too good at seeing right through him – unlike his older brother, who couldn't even put on a decent show of pretense for the sake of his own twin.

Of course he would understand this time around too, and it would only upset him yet again, which was definitely the last thing Zero ever wanted to do to his other half. He knew what would happen perfectly well, on subconscious level, yet he had come. It had been stupid of him to do so, but he hadn't really thought about anything, as he had been too shaken then. He still was, but not as badly.

Nevertheless, the need to see and feel his twin nearby for his own peace of mind never ceased. After all, how could he just go to sleep like nothing happened, having heard all those things…?

Carefully, and as soundlessly as he could, the boy closed the distance between him and the bed and heaved a quiet sigh of relief. A faint smile tugged at Zero's lips as his gaze fell on his brother's sleeping face. He slowly sat down on the edge of the mattress, his hand going to caress his twin's identically silver hair tenderly, so as not to wake the other up. Unconsciously, Ichiru leaned into the touch, making Zero's smile widen a little.

He went on with his actions for another couple of minutes and was already going to get up and head to his own room when his wrist was suddenly grabbed and pulled at quite persistently, catching Zero by surprise and making him let out a small startled yelp as he stumbled forward and fell down onto the mattress. The next second a familiar pair of arms wrapped around his form, their grip surprisingly strong for their owner's weak body and fragile health, but not restricting or uncomfortable in the slightest. So the boy didn't resist and had no trouble relaxing into the embrace. He only sighed silently, looking at his twin somewhat reproachfully. Still, no sound of protest came from him.

Only half-opening his eyes to regard the other with a smug smirk playing on his lips, Ichiru snuggled in closer to Zero – the older twin automatically reaching out to also enfold his replica in his arms. The younger boy sighed contentedly, closing his eyes.

"I thought you were sleeping..." Zero whispered, frowning slightly in worry, "Did I wake you up?"

Ichiru hummed in lazy content as his brother's fingers brushed a few silver strands from his forehead and the side of his face, his hand taking a hold of Zero's slowly retreating one to place it on his cheek and lean into the comforting warmth. His voice sounded a little hoarse as he replied to his twin's inquiry, "I was waiting for you. Couldn't sleep without Zero around."

The older Kiryuu's frown deepened in obvious concern. Gently, he removed his hand from under Ichiru's and put it on the other's forehead, feeling for the fever. Ichiru opened his eyes at that, a faint, rueful smile tugging at his lips as he caught a sight of his brother's troubled, anguished expression.

The older boy moved to sit up, but his twin seized his arm again, stopping him in mid-motion. Zero looked at Ichiru, an unspoken question in his lavender orbs, and the latter responded.

"It'll get better now. Because Zero is here with me."

"But-"

"Don't worry about me," Ichiru gave another pull to get Zero back into his previous position next to him, and his brother complied, like he always did, "It'll pass. Just stay here with me."

"…" As if he could _not _worry about him. Ichiru was his everything, his other, better half…

Nevertheless, he granted the other's wish and lay down wordlessly. Still, it was obvious from his expression that Zero was far from having his concerns dismissed, and Ichiru could see it more than clearly. He hated this look on his twin's face. So, giving a soft sigh, he pushed himself up and turned towards the bedside table, then reached for a glass of water and pills that were there. After taking the medicine, he took his place near Zero, once again grasping his twin's hand and nestling closer to him.

"Happy now?" The younger boy asked, his tone light and even a bit teasing.

Another slight frown that looked suspiciously like a pout appeared on Zero's face for a fraction of a second as he nodded silently, evidently pleased with his brother's actions, "Wasn't that hard, now was it?"

"Just hate that stupid thing. Makes me feel too drowsy."

"But it does help, right?"

It was the younger Kiryuu's turn to nod, however reluctantly, "Still hate it though."

"Ichiru…" he tried to make his voice sound scolding, but failed, unable to drive affection out of it. His twin only let out a short laugh in response, tightening his hold on him, "I know, I know..."

"Good…" Zero breathed out, closing his eyes with a deep sigh and clutching at his other half's shirt involuntarily. He moved a little closer to the younger boy yet again, sleep already beginning to take over his senses when Ichiru's quiet voice pulled him out of that pleasant state in-between. He didn't quite catch the other's words however, so he had to ask his replica to repeat what he had just said.

"I asked what happened to make you so upset," Ichiru answered.

"I'm not u-", Zero started to protest when his twin resumed speaking, thus successfully stopping him, "I know you are. I can feel it. You can't fool me, remember?"

He averted his gaze and gave a slight nod. Of course he couldn't. Ichiru always knew, as he knew _him _too well. Still, he didn't want to talk about it, didn't even want to relieve those words in his mind, let alone saying them out loud.

"It's nothing." And yet he couldn't look his brother in the eye.

_'…I see...'_ Ichiru thought, his eyes visibly hardened as he tightened his arms around Zero. He had guessed by now what it was about. Again. These occurrences had become more and more frequent lately. And he hated it. He loathed it when his twin got like that. He despised _them _for doing this to Zero, to them both.

"It doesn't matter, you know," he finally responded, drawing the older Kiryuu's attention anew. "It's okay…I don't need them." A small, genuine smile spread across his features as his amethyst orbs locked with a pair of identical – but still so unlike his own – ones. He reached out to rest his palm on his counterpart's smooth cheek, continuing, "Everything will be okay…so long as I have Zero by my side. Others don't matter, even if it's them."

The older boy remained silent at that, he just didn't have it in his heart to even try to defend their parents and to persuade Ichiru otherwise. Because with time, he himself began to gradually doubt that he was right in his views. And his brother's words didn't really seem so…cold and sometimes cruel anymore. In spite of the fact that they did disturb him at times. Although he could hardly blame Ichiru for them, or anything at that. After all, he was the only one at fault.

"Ne, Zero-nii…" The younger one resumed speaking, successfully tearing his twin out of his not so optimistic thoughts.

"Hm?"

"You love me, don't you?" Ichiru paused, his hand going to take Zero's. He gripped it tightly, their fingers intertwining, before unconsciously bringing it to his chest, "More than anyone else, more than mom and dad…right?"

Zero's brows furrowed slightly at that sudden question. Briefly, he wondered where it had come from.

He didn't get to ponder on that for too long though, as barely noticeable – but still there – urgency and faintest anxiety in the other's tone compelled him to respond promptly. Which he did, his head automatically moving to nod almost instantly after he had comprehended his twin's inquiry.

At once, a radiant, if only a little tired, smile spread over Ichiru's face. It was needless for him to say that he felt the same. Zero felt warmth spread inside him at that sight. He loved it when his precious brother was so genuinely happy, when he had on his features such a beautiful smile that reached even his usually guarded eyes. He couldn't help responding in the same manner – his lips curved faintly without him noticing.

The younger boy's next words, however, destroyed all the tender emotions he had previously experienced, leaving nothing but unpleasant, uncomfortable feeling behind. It settled in the pit of his stomach and sent small shivers up his spine. It was…new…and incomprehensibly frightening.

"Then," Ichiru's smile was still there, and even started to widen a little, but his eyes said otherwise, as they were suddenly filled with anguish, "It'll be better if they just disappear…"

**-o-**

Burgundy orbs looked outside the window as their owner noticed a small movement there from the corner of his vision. His small, slender fingers paused in turning a page of the book he had been reading as he took in the view, somewhat mesmerized.

It was snowing. Thousands of white flakes descended gracefully from the pitch-black sky and onto the ground that was already covered with cold, colorless blanket. The night was peaceful. Yet there was something in it…something menacing about it. Although he didn't know what exactly. And frankly, didn't really care to fathom the reason for it, despite knowing that it wasn't just his imagination, as humans tended to dismiss such things when experiencing them. A pureblood's senses never failed – it was a fact. But he was obviously not in the mood tonight – for anything whatsoever.

His attention stayed there for another few seconds before Kaname returned to reading his book, unknowingly letting out a soft sigh. It was yet another boring, silence-filled night. Lonely and uneventful, with him stuck in this large manor with dozens of servants and still no one to talk to. The only exception was Takuma, but his friend had yet to return from the trip with his grandfather. So the young pureblood didn't have any company this evening too, as he had expected. Not that he wasn't used to it by now.

But at least his 'guardian', the older Ichijou wasn't anywhere near him. And that alone was enough to lighten his mood a little.

He never liked the old vampire, or this house that belonged to him at that. The only good thing about it was the man's grandson, who was so different from his only relative, or any vampire Kaname knew. He didn't even want to imagine how much more unbearable and gloomier it would have been here without his dear friend's presence. It really made the days that he spent in this place much easier to bear with. Although, obviously, it was hardly enough to once again make him feel…happy and at home, he guessed. As this place was too cold and unwelcoming, at least for him. Besides, there was only one being that could ever provide him with joy and genuine warmth that this house and its occupants so lacked of.

A gentle, tiniest of smiles flickered across the pureblood's face as his memory provided him with images of his dear girl's smiling, beautiful face along with the sound of her melodious, infectious laughter. It had been such a long while since he had last seen her it felt like years, even though he knew no more than a couple of months had passed since his previous visit. But he had been longing desperately all these days to meet with her again, to feel her in his arms, to hear her wonderful voice, to look into her big, shining brown eyes, to just…_be _near her, even if for a short amount of time. However, he knew too well that he wasn't allowed to indulge himself in it. It was too risky. He didn't need to attract unwanted attention – and that would surely happen if he wasn't careful with his every move.

No matter how hard and unbearable it was.

He missed their past, when she was who she was supposed to be and they didn't have to be separated. When their parents were alive and with them, when their family was happy and not torn apart with him being the only one to know the bitter truth and remember everything that had happened that fateful night. While Yuuki, his light, his beloved sister had no recollections of her old life and her original, true self whatsoever. And in this new reality, he was to her nothing more than a stranger. One who had saved her life once, but a stranger nonetheless.

It was painful. It hurt more than Kaname cared to admit, and it made him feel alone and dejected, to be forgotten like that by the person he cared for the most, by the only one left for him in this world.

Nevertheless, he agreed to take it, he didn't mind bearing with this continuous torment if it meant that she would be safe and far from this dark, treacherous realm he existed in.

And he would carry on that way until he was certain that no harm could be done to her. Until he destroyed _that man_…

And Kaname would allow nothing and no one to interfere with his plans.

_Or so he believed, foolishly thinking that everything in this game of chess of his would simply go according to his plans… _

**-o-**

"Ichiru…" Zero heard himself breathe out, still not quite out of his daze. His heart gave a violent lurch as he saw the familiar form of his twin in the distance, coming his way, and with his mind completely blank from shocked relief that washed over him, the silver-haired boy rushed to his brother. "Ichiru!"

The other seemed to notice him after his name was called, he looked up and met Zero's gaze, a warm smile immediately making its way on his slightly flushed from cold winter weather face. Still, the older Kiryuu's distress hardly eased, his rapid pulse never slowed down and his state of panic refused to pass. He had never been so scared in his life.

Of course, Ichiru saw it too clearly. His arms already reached out to draw his other half in a reassuring hug meant to set Zero's troubled mind at rest. Enigmatically, it worked – simple as this gesture was. The corners of his lips curved further as he noted how Zero's tense form visibly relaxed. But his brother's voice still sounded a little shaky when he pulled back and spoke, "Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere."

Instinctively, Zero's hand went to feel Ichiru's cheek before moving to his forehead. A frown of concern marred his features as he realize his twin was running a mild fever. Which wasn't such a huge surprise, considering how long Ichiru must have spent outside today. Yet another reason for him to want to kick _that bastard's_ ass.

It was all Kaito's fault. Because of his being his mean, insufferable self to Ichiru again – Zero was certain his guess was right despite the fact that he hadn't been present at the scene at the time. But what else could he think when he had returned to the clearing where his twin, together with the older hunter, were supposed to be, only to find the former missing and the latter standing there calmly with smug smirk plastered on his annoying face. Zero was not an idiot and could put two and two together, so it wasn't too hard to understand what must have happened. Also because it wasn't the first time either.

He hated that dumbass for deliberately doing that to Ichiru – and Zero _knew _he behaved like that with him on purpose. As if their parents and other people weren't enough already…

"We have to go back," the older twin said, not waiting for his counterpart to answer his previous question. He was too worried to think about it, "It's getting late."

"I'm fine, Zero-nii…" Ichiru spoke, his tone soothing. He didn't resist when his brother took his hand and tugged him after himself though. He only complied with the other's wish and moved forward with him. "Never felt better, in fact."

Zero felt his hand being squeezed briefly, and his gaze involuntarily turned to Ichiru. To which the younger boy only responded with another smile, but this one looked somewhat enigmatic, and all it did was cause Zero slight…unease…and apprehension, somewhere deep inside. For a fleeting moment, he thought he sensed something, some strange…_vibe_,coming from the one next to him. For some reason, his twin felt subtly different, or so it seemed for a fraction of a second.

But Zero dismissed it without second thought, assuming that it was just his imagination.

**-o-**

"The 'Madly Blooming Princess'?" Kaname asked, genuinely surprised by his friend's unexpected question. "Why the sudden interest in her, Takuma?"

"No, it's just…I've overheard something on my way here. Grandfather was talking about her with one of the Council members," he paused, closing the book he had stopped reading a while ago, distracted by his musings. It was unusual, to say the least, to see the blond noble, always so cheerful and happy, so serious.

"They said she escaped from her prison."

**-o-**

It was this feeling again. The one he had experienced several times before, in the past, distant, distant past. Even the memory of it was a blur.

But lately, he had been getting it more frequently. As though _something _was there, something malevolent, slowly approaching and watching his every move. For the last few days or so, this impending sense of danger had been following him persistently, refusing to leave.

Zero turned his gaze to the window absent-mindedly.

He thought he had heard something. Some kind of jingling. But as he listened attentively, trying to catch it again, there was no noise. Only snow falling and sometimes hitting the glass surface of the window, and wind disturbing the quiet night.

_'It was nothing,' _he tried to convince himself. But the doubt in his lavender orbs was still present even as they landed on the form of his twin sleeping peacefully next to him. Carefully, his fingers went to brush away a few silver strands of hair from Ichiru's closed eyes. _'Nothing…' _

**-o-**

"What was she like?" Takuma asked with open curiosity, his emerald eyes twinkling with unconcealed interest. Kaname couldn't help chuckling at his dear friend's childish behavior. Childish for him, that is. As for vampires their age it was... Well, still acceptable, he guessed. His amusement passed, however, as he recalled his first and only encounter with the 'Madly Blooming Princess', Hiou Shizuka.

"She was…" he paused for a couple of seconds, struggling to find the right words, "…sad."

The blond blinked confusedly, "'Sad'?"

The young pureblood nodded pensively, "Very beautiful, but sad and lonely. It was hard to be near her, she made me feel…so much sorrow…"

Takuma's usual cheerfulness was gone, his expression darkened, "Do you think she really was mad?"

Kaname took a few moments to answer, his mind easily reviving the events of that night many years ago, "I doubt it. I didn't sense anything indicating her insanity back then." If anything, she had seemed like an ordinary pureblood vampire. Kaname could never comprehend the reason for her imprisonment. However…

"But who knows… She may be now." It wouldn't be surprising, especially after one being locked up for such a long period of time.

"I wonder where she is," Takuma whispered, turning to look at the obviously worsening snowstorm outside.

Kaname inclined his head in a slight nod, not offering any verbal response.

An uncomfortable, tight feeling suddenly welled up inside him. As if something grave was going to happen and change everything, but there was nothing he could do to prevent it or even escape the consequences.

**-o-**

"Kaname-sama!" Yuuki exclaimed, surprise and happiness evident in her cheerful voice. At once, the brunet's lips curved into a gentle smile, his eyes softening as he gazed at his dear girl with pure adoration. Her slender arms encircled his waist in a warm, tender embrace that made his heart melt of delight and filled it with joy. He returned the hug before letting the smaller form pull away and patting her auburn head affectionately.

"Yuuki…" Kaname's tone was unusually sweet as he spoke, never averting his attention from his precious princess, "How have you been? It has been a while since my last visit, hasn't it?" His hand went to stroke one of the girl's cheeks slowly, his smile widening almost imperceptibly when the younger brunet leaned into his touch.

"It has," she sighed out, "I missed you, Kaname-sama. Why did you stop coming here so suddenly?" Her own smile faltered, a frown of concern marring her delicate features. The pureblood felt a small tug at his heart, guilt making itself known as he understood that he was the cause for the expression that currently resided on his beloved's face.

"I am sorry, I was unable to find the opportunity to pay you a visit sooner, my dear Yuuki…" Kaname replied softly, pausing in his movements to cup the cheek he had been caressing just a moment ago. "But I promise I will try to spend more time with you from now onwards."

"Really?" Yuuki's excitement was apparent not only in her voice, but also in her eyes and aura. It made warmth spread in the older brunet's chest.

Kaname responded with a nod, and the girl gave him another hug, emitting a small sound of delight.

Having closed the door, Yuuki then led him into the living room, pulling him by the hand while chatting away about the events that had happened during his long absence from her life. He listened carefully, happy to hear about her daily routines and even most insignificant occurrences. But after a short while, one thing struck him as odd, and he couldn't help wondering in the back of his mind.

Yuuki's guardian and former vampire hunter, Cross Kaien, was nowhere in sight. Which was more than strange, as the eccentric man always greeted his guests and, frankly, he could hardly ever remain quiet enough to go unnoticed, even for a minute. He was a walking disaster in every sense of the word – in both good and bad ways too. His presence alone was difficult to ignore if he was anywhere in the vicinity. And now that Kaname thought about it and actually paid attention… He couldn't sense it. The presence, he meant.

So he voiced out the question that had been bothering him for some time now, to which Yuuki answered without hesitation.

"He went out a while ago, saying that an urgent business suddenly came up," she said, pensive, probably recalling those moments. "I think it was something very important. He looked upset."

"I see…" Kaname replied absent-mindedly, silently wondering what could have happened to make Cross leave his precious Yuuki all alone, and at such a late time as well. He certainly did not appreciate it, regardless of the reason for the older male's actions. He doubted there could be a reasonable excuse for putting his dear girl into this potentially dangerous situation. Anything could happen in the ex-hunter's absence. What if it wasn't Kaname who had come? What if he hadn't come at all? What if Yuuki went outside for some reason and, God forbid, got lost? What if…

The possibilities were endless. And Kaname's brilliant mind went through all of them in seconds.

He was definitely interested in hearing Cross's side of the story. Although he was more than sure that it wouldn't change his opinion on the matter.

But for now, he would rather enjoy his sweet Yuuki's company and blissfully forget about everything else. Which he did, and quite successfully, even if not for as long as he would have liked.

Soon enough it was nearing midnight, and in spite of the fact that it was long past Yuuki's bedtime, the pureblood didn't have the heart to refuse her pleas of letting her stay up for a bit longer. So they remained sitting in the living room, now watching the girl's favorite shows on television, with Yuuki still chattering happily and sometimes making comments about the events unfolding on the screen. Kaname didn't give much heed to any of it, less than concerned with the fictional characters' lives – he simply took pleasure in being there, in the company of his most precious person, basking in her wonderful, comforting presence.

But all of a sudden, he froze. For a brief instant, _something _caused him to freeze. He had no idea what it was, but for some reason, his head turned in the direction of the entrance – or where he knew it was supposed to be as he couldn't see it from the room he was currently in – on its own accord. His gaze didn't stay there for long, as after only a couple of seconds, somewhat stiffly, the pureblood returned it to his dear girl, who was completely oblivious to his momentary distraction.

His unease refused to cease.

And then, he _felt _it. Literally moments before his sensitive hearing detected the sound of the lock on the front door turn.

It was only when that same door was being pushed open that Yuuki noticed that someone was there, and, naturally assuming that it was Cross, she leapt from the couch and ran into the hallway, obviously heading for the source of the noise. And Kaname was thankful for that. Because there was no way he could allow her to see him like _that_.

Taking a deep breath, the pureblood closed his eyes and willed his raging instincts to calm down. There was no doubt that his normally garnet orbs were red with bloodlust now, his fangs were almost fully aroused and his pulse and respiratory rate became irregular. His trembling fingers tightened around the soft material of the cushion he was sitting on. He barely managed to stop his nails from transforming into sharp talons ready to tear into first source of blood on his way.

Never once in his life had he been so hungry. And so _terrified _of himself before.

And worst of all, he had no clue what was the cause, except for the obvious one, of course. But that alone wasn't enough to affect him _this_ much. What on the earth…

Abruptly, Kaname was pulled out of his reverie as a shocked gasp sounded, and he immediately recognized it as Yuuki's. Worried, the pureblood wasted no time in leaving the room and hurrying to the girl's side – it took him a mere instant to reach his destination. Spotting the familiar head of brown locks straight away, Kaname parted his lips to inquire what was the matter, but no words came out of his mouth as his focus involuntarily shifted ahead of the form he was currently approaching at fast pace. He was speechless as he took in probably the most devastating and beautiful sight he had ever had the chance to behold.

_The extent to which a vampire's nature was twisted was inconceivable, _flashed through Kaname's mind fleetingly. He couldn't believe he was actually fascinated by this image in front of him. So much so that he couldn't tear his eyes off of it.

Motionless, two forms stood silently before the brunets, with the third one held tightly yet gently in Cross Kaien's arms.

Two silver-haired boys. Absolutely identical – twins, clearly. Both covered in blood. Sweet, enticing blood. _Hunter _blood_._ But he couldn't discern whether it was their own or one Cross was carrying was unconscious while the other was standing next to the ex-hunter, his small pale hand holding the much larger one loosely, his bloodshot lavender eyes staring at nothing in particular.

It was no wonder he felt so perturbed earlier. Any vampire would react that way at having so many hunters nearby. Cross was one thing, as Kaname was used to his aura by now, but these two...

He tensed abruptly. His vampire senses tingling ever so slightly in response to something other than hunter presence.

Something...didn't feel right…

One of _them_ didn't feel right. Like he was…

The pureblood's eyes widened ever so slightly in startling realization.

He looked at Cross, and the ex-hunter's solemn – so unusual for him – expression only confirmed his suspicions. Not uttering a word, the man moved forward, gently tugging the twin that was holding his hand along with him down the hall.

As Kaname watched them go, he felt that tightening in his chest again.

Little did he know that it was only the beginning...and the end of everything.


	2. Traces of Caramel

_**A/N: **Just look at that, I'm actually back early. Don't get your hopes up too much though, Uni starts tomorrow for me *sighs sadly* But I'll still try my best to find as much time for writing as I can *nods* _

_Thank you for all the Alerts, Favs and Reviews. They made me truly happy and, needless to say, inspired me to write more and faster. _

_To those who were concerned, don't worry, Kaname-sama won't be as dark here as he is in my other story. I decided I needed at least some sort of contrast to balance myself, so... Rest assured ;) _

_And please enjoy :D_

**Chapter 2: Traces of Caramel**

Waking up, he felt like it had been forever since he had last had his eyes opened. His body was heavy and his mind was a jumbled mess. It was safe to say that he was highly disoriented and had no clue what had happened to him, or where he was at that. But all that didn't hold the slightest significance in his eyes, especially when he took in the sight in front of him.

He was used to waking up to his brother's sleeping face. Somehow it always happened so that he was the first to wake up in the morning. And so it became a part of his daily routine to lie alongside his twin and watch him sleep silently, taking in every small feature of the face that was the very reflection of his own. It was fascinating, really. It never failed to bring peace to his mind. And it was... beautiful. Not to please his vanity – he had none of it anyway, due to many factors in his life – but simply because it was the truth. Very often he actually forgot that they were physically identical. To him they were absolutely different, though inseparable and, in his opinion, an organic whole.

This time, however, instead of calming and reassuring him, all that the sight of his counterpart did was make his heart lurch painfully from worry and anxiety, which later was joined by guilt, as realization dawned on him soon enough. And at that moment he hated himself more than ever.

Instinctively, his hand – the one that was free, as the other was held tightly by his sleeping reflection – reached for his brother, and he pulled the warm body closer to himself, letting out a soft shaky sigh and feeling the slight sting of unwanted tears in his eyes, his heart beating painfully and at accelerated speed in his chest, making it hard to breathe. Carefully, his hand went to caress the soft cheek of his twin, his fingers working to gently brush away the dried tear trails on the slightly reddened skin. He loathed seeing his other half sad, let alone witnessing his tears, especially when he knew that he was the one to blame for them. And for everything...

His actions seemed to disturb the other's sleep, as his brother stirred, and soon he was staring into the pair of lilac hues he knew and adored, and again, a sharp pang of guilt reminded of itself when he saw how puffy they were, obviously from crying.

"Ichiru...?"

He didn't miss how hoarse his twin's voice sounded. Again, his heart gave a lurch.

A sad, small smile made its way on his face, "Hey..."

He didn't expect to be pulled into a tight embrace, which resulted in him being rolled onto his back from the sudden movement with the older boy on top of him. He heard Zero take a deep shaky breath before his voice sounded again, a little trembling, "Ichiru..." he let out a choked sob, "You're awake, finally, you're awake..."

_''Finally'?' _So he wasn't imagining things thinking that he had been asleep for quite a while, or at least for longer than normal.

Zero pulled back and sat up to inspect his brother closely, his hand already on Ichiru's forehead to feel his temperature – an action done purely out of habit, "How are you feeling?" His slightly knitted in worried concentration brows relaxed, relief apparent on his face. Ichiru guessed it was because he wasn't running a fever for once.

"A little weird..." he didn't really know how to describe it, "But fine. How long have I been asleep?" He tried to sit up and, surprisingly, had no trouble with doing it. And then he finally took notice of their unfamiliar surroundings. "Where are we?" Ichiru asked, looking around, a faint frown marring his features briefly.

"Four days," Ichiru's eyes widened at the answer Zero gave to his first question, "And we're at uncle Cross's house."

"'Cross'? You mean that crazy old man master Yagari introduced us to a few years back?" He was a little disturbed now, "The one with the camera?"

The older Kiryuu nodded silently before speaking again, "It looks like he will be taking care of us now, as our guardian."

"I see..." Not that he cared. But the fact that they were here and not at home meant that...

"Zero-nii..." Ichiru broke the short-lived silence that had fallen over the room. "I'm sorry, for making you worry and..." he paused, his gaze dropping from his brother's eyes. It was hard to look into them for some reason, "And..."

_'For them' _was left unsaid, but Ichiru had no doubt that his twin understood. That he understood and _knew _everything. Including the fact that Ichiru didn't regret what he had done and was remorseful and seeking forgiveness only for the pain he had caused his brother.

Zero didn't respond right away. And the silence stretched, making Ichiru nervous, before his anxiety turned to outright fear. He fiddled with the blankets feebly and disinterestedly, unable to lift his gaze and growing more apprehensive with each passing second. To the point where he forgot how to breathe and his heart beat wildly in his chest, this close from jumping out of it.

And it took only one hesitant touch to end it.

Involuntarily, Ichiru gave a small start when all of a sudden, he felt familiar warmth on his skin. Slender fingers touched his hand gingerly before taking a hold of it loosely. Then they gave a gentle squeeze, and he reciprocated immediately without thinking. Sharply, his gaze shot up to lock with that of his brother.

Zero didn't say anything, he just kept looking at his counterpart wordlessly. It continued for some time, then the older boy's eyes lowered, and he tightened his hold on Ichiru's hand.

The younger Kiryuu let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

A barely noticeable smile tugged at his lips.

**-o-**

The clatter of dishes and some other strange sounds that came from the kitchen, as he reasonably presumed, could probably be heard even from outside the house – it was that loud. And annoying. Ichiru had no idea how Zero could actually continue sleeping with all this noise. But he guessed it just showed how tired his twin was. Because of _him_. So he was glad that Zero wasn't bothered by all those sounds. Not yet, at least. But it gave him all the more reason to want to kill the clumsy idiot that was disturbing the pleasant silence of the early morning.

Ichiru heaved a long sigh. Reluctantly, he pulled away from his brother, taking in his features one last time and carefully removing his hand from the older boy's hold. He pushed himself up and got off the bed as quietly as he could – pointless as it was, considering all the noise; Ichiru almost felt stupid for doing it. Nevertheless, he tiptoed out of the room and closed the door gently after himself, then headed in the direction the clattering was coming from, and it wasn't long before he arrived at his destination. And as expected, it was indeed kitchen. With the 'clumsy idiot' in it. Now why wasn't he surprised?

The blond man hadn't changed in the slightest – his appearance was the same as it had been the last time Ichiru saw him. And as he observed... It looked like the same could be said about his behavior as well.

"Ah, Zero-kun, y-..." Cross started when he turned and noticed him standing in the doorway, but faltered, a puzzled expression, followed by a surprised one, flit across his face, before it was replaced with a wide smile anew, "My bad, you're Ichiru-kun, right?"

The boy gave a slight nod, which was responded with further widening of the already broad smile.

"You had us really worried, especially your brother. He really loves you, Ichiru-kun."

Another nod, but now with a smile of his own, although it was almost imperceptible. The softening of his features, however, was hard to miss, and Cross immediately took notice of it. He couldn't help but think it endearing how close the two boys were.

"Zero-kun is still asleep, I presume?"

The third inclination of his head, and then Ichiru spoke for the first time since coming into the room, "He's tired."

"I see," the older man replied quietly, a somewhat sad look crossing his face, "We'll let him rest then, it's been a hard few days for him." _'He was worried sick, he never left your side,' _the ex-hunter added inwardly.

Ichiru couldn't agree more.

Then suddenly, something seemed to click in the blond male, and his demeanor changed abruptly. His behavior was now closer to the one the silver-haired boy was more familiar with – sickeningly cheerful and annoyingly happy. Even his voice sounded a little different when he spoke next, "I'm almost done making breakfast. Why don't you go wash up while I set the table?"

Was it any wonder that Ichiru deemed him crazy?

Deciding not to argue and honestly wanting to be anywhere but near that excuse for an adult, the younger Kiryuu simply asked for directions and, having received them, left the kitchen, now heading to the bathroom. It didn't take him long to get there.

He was washing his face when, suddenly, there came a sharp gasp of surprise somewhere from the side. Ichiru lifted his head from his hands and turned in the direction the sound had originated from. He was met with the sight of a small girl, probably his age or so, with big brown eyes and tousled – apparently she had just woken up – auburn hair almost reaching her waist. She stared at him with a somewhat shocked expression on her face, looking a bit nervous, with a faint blush evident on her cheeks. Ichiru wondered at that strange reaction.

"Z-Zero-kun," she stuttered, her voice small and uncertain, "g-good morning... I'm sorry, I didn't know someone was here..." And yet she stayed where she was, not leaving. Ichiru looked on at her silently, not really bothered that she had mistaken him for his brother. It wasn't uncommon, especially for those who didn't know them that well.

The girl lowered her gaze uncomfortably, fidgeting slightly. Her voice was even quieter when she spoke next, Ichiru had to strain his ears to catch her words, "H-how are you? How is your brother...?"

"...I'm not Zero," the silver-haired boy said simply, turning back to the porcelain sink calmly to resume what he had been doing before the interruption.

"Eh?" He heard the brunet. "You're not... I... um..." Having finished, he reached for the towel and wiped the beads of water off his face and hands with it.

"Ichiru...kun?" He still didn't turn to face the girl even as she called his name, he only nodded wordlessly.

"I-...I'm so sorry! I didn't-"

"It's okay. I'm used to it." They both were. "It's not a big deal."

Finally turning to her, he noticed how her face was a few shades darker than previously. Why though, he had no idea. Not that he was really interested.

"And you are...?"

His question seemed to startle her a little. Head jerking up sharply, her eyes stayed on him for a couple of seconds before returning to the floor as though it was the most interesting thing to look at. She fumbled with the hem of her pajama shirt, stuttering out the answer to his inquiry, "I'm... Yuuki. It- it's nice to meet you, Ichiru-kun." Gazing up at him, she gave him a small, if a bit nervous smile, to which he didn't respond much other than nodding briefly and mumbling, "Yeah, you too."

Nothing else was said after that, as Ichiru left the room and made his way back to the kitchen, leaving Yuuki to her own devices.

**-o- **

A few more days had passed by rather quickly, calm and uneventful really. Which, in Ichiru's opinion, wasn't so bad. The only thing that had caused them – or him at the very least – some worries was Cross and his antics. Which mostly pertained to his cooking, but that, thankfully, was soon dealt with, as they – more so Zero than Ichiru – took on that task, basically banning the blond wonder from the kitchen.

It happened sometime on the second night after Ichiru regained consciousness. Unusually, Zero woke up earlier than him. The younger Kiryuu panicked – needlessly and rather stupidly, he knew, but it was an uncontrollable reaction – when he found his brother's side of the bed empty, so he got up and went to look for his counterpart. Which wasn't such a difficult task. And soon he was standing in the kitchen with his twin, helping him cook pancakes, and then waffles that Ichiru requested himself.

It wasn't even early morning yet, so the younger boy was worried at first, not quite understanding the reason for Zero's sudden urge to make something to eat – other than being hungry, of course, as none of them had touched the food Cross had cooked for them; it was scary to even look at, let alone put it in their mouths. But if that was the case, his brother would have cooked something much earlier. And the amounts were too excessive as well. So Ichiru voiced out his thoughts and asked the question that had been nagging at him.

To which Zero replied that he just couldn't sleep and was a little hungry.

Well, nothing surprising there. The cause for the latter was more than obvious and as for the former, considering their recently slightly altered sleep patterns, it was to be expected. So Ichiru dropped the matter and joined his twin eagerly.

They got a little carried away, so by the time they finished, it was already morning, and minutes later Cross and his daughter – looking evenly disheveled – came, both still not quite awake, but well up because of the mouthwatering aromas wafting through the house. Either of them seemed to be only half-conscious throughout the whole meal, but they wolfed down almost everything nevertheless. Zero and Ichiru could only look on in wonder, stunned. The pair must have bottomless pits for stomachs, the twins inwardly came to logical conclusion later. They had never thought that someone as lean as Cross and as tiny as Yuuki could actually consume so much food.

But maybe it wasn't so astonishing, taking into account the fact that it was probably the first time they ever had a proper and actually tasty meal in their lives. With Cross's extraordinary 'talent' for cooking... The silver-haired boys couldn't help wondering how the father and daughter were still alive. It was death either by food poisoning, or by starvation in their case.

Thinking that, Ichiru couldn't help giving the blond man a disapproving look. What kind of an adult was he when two ten-year-olds cooked better than him? With the said man having a kid to tend to. The younger Kiryuu actually felt a little sorry for the girl. Although...

He guessed he couldn't really judge the blond only by that aspect. After all, it didn't seem like Yuuki was unhappy or anything. Quite the contrary, actually, so...

Ah well. It didn't concern him.

That aside and back to the matter, ever since then Cross was officially prohibited from tampering with kitchenware, so any preparation of food was off limits for him. Which in turn ensured their safety and well-being, at least to some extent. The man pulled a small childish stunt on them, predictably, but didn't protest much and conceded in the end, all the while sulking like a kid for further effect. There was a sneaking suspicion in Ichiru's mind though, that the ex-hunter himself didn't really mind such turn of events.

So here they were again, only it was dinner this time, and they weren't alone but with Yuuki, who had gotten curious and had asked them to 'let her in'. They had, and as it turned out, the girl was just as much of a disaster as her father. So Zero gave her the easiest tasks that didn't include getting close to anything sharp, hot, boiling or frying, which she eagerly accepted, nearly jumping from excitement for some reason.

Ichiru didn't mind, she didn't bother him much. Even though sometimes he did think that they – she and Zero – got too friendly for his liking.

But it was okay. It was nothing.

After all, he would always remain the closest person to Zero. He knew it, and he would make sure of it...

**-o- **

"He is dangerous," Kaname's voice sounded, smooth and quiet, which indicated how clearly unhappy he was, "It is only a matter of time before he gets consumed by the bloodlust and falls to the Level E. You know that as well as I do."

"Yes." A faint, sad smile was on the blond man's face, he was sitting behind his desk, his warm honey-colored eyes regarding the troubled-looking pureblood calmly, "Yes, I do."

"Then why?" The brunet's hands curled into fists at his sides. It was probably the only thing that showed his anger, as on the surface he stayed calm and composed. "Why did you still brought him here, knowing the risk?"

"There is no risk, Kaname-kun."

"There is, for Yuuki. I don't want her anywhere near him."

"I see...Then," his gaze hardened, "what do you suggest, if I may ask? Surely you're not telling me to dispose of them?"

"…There should be other options. You're not the only person who can take care of them, I'm certa-"

"Kaname," Cross interrupted him, uncharacteristically. His tone hard, cold. The lack of honorifics attached to his name also didn't escape the brunet vampire, he knew the man's usual cheerfulness was gone, he was more than serious. "It's not up to you to decide. And I never wanted anyone's opinion on that matter, I have already made my choice. And I will not change my mind, not even for you, or Yuuki."

"You aren't concerned for Yuuki's safety then?" His voice got even quieter, he could feel his blood was starting to boil by now. He couldn't believe the blond man.

"You know it's not true. And it's not about her, or her safety."

"…"

"Kaname..." Cross heaved a deep sigh, his tense expression relaxing a bit, "You have to understand... Not everything is always about Yuuki." He raised his palm when the pureblood opened his mouth to retort, successfully stopping him, "Don't get me wrong. I care for her dearly. I love her as my own daughter. And you too are precious to me, you know that." He paused, daring the brunet to speak, but Kaname remained silent, waiting for him to continue. "But I care for Zero-kun and Ichiru-kun just as much. Those boys are the beloved sons of my dear friends who are no longer in this world. They're the only thing left of them. Just like you... You and..." _'Yuuki...'_

"You are right, there _are _alternatives. But I am the best option. And I want them here, I want to provide them with family they have lost," the blond's expression softened, a small sad smile returning, "Is it really so wrong...?"

Kaname felt his heart give an uncomfortable lurch. He lowered his gaze, sighing resignedly, "No... Of course it's not. But," he looked up at the older man again, unable to give up yet. He didn't get to voice his arguments though, as Cross spoke first.

"It will be alright, Kaname-kun. They are not a threat to Yuuki, I assure you."

"_They _may be not, but one of them _is_."

"He is not, trust me. He is just a child. They both are." The blond's smile turned fond, his voice lightened, "And they already get along well. Yuuki likes them. I'm sure you will too."

Kaname refrained from answering to that last statement, choosing to ignore it.

"I should go... It's late."

"It is, indeed." He gave the brunet a fond look, "I'm sorry you didn't get to see Yuuki." It was an eventful day, all three had been tired and had gone to their respective beds earlier than usual.

"It's alright, I understand. I will see myself out."

Cross nodded gently, "Till your next visit then."

The pureblood gave a polite bow. Then turned and headed for the door, and left the room quietly.

Kaname walked down the dark hallway soundlessly, deep in thought, when a soft patting of bare feet on wooden floor caught his attention. He lifted his gaze, his eyes clearing as he concentrated on the small sounds unwittingly. Out of curiosity, he headed for the source of it, and soon found himself approaching the kitchen. The brunet frowned slightly, surprised to see that the lights were off even though he could hear someone was shuffling around the room. Then a few seconds later it got quiet again.

Having reached his destination, the pureblood stood in the doorway, his eyes immediately finding the only occupant of the dark room. It was one of the hunter twins. The boy was sitting on a chair, staring out the window unblinkingly with a mug in his small pale hands. Kaname sniffed the air unconsciously, mentally humming at the pleasant scent. It was caramel tea that the boy was having.

A few moments passed, and the hunter still hadn't moved a muscle. The brunet inclined his head slightly to the side, wondering at the boy's behavior.

It was only after another short while that it seemed like the child had come out of his daze, as he raised his hands with the cup in them up to his lips. But he stopped in mid-motion, abruptly, tensing ever so slightly. Then all of a sudden, his bright – even in this pitch darkness – eyes were on him. The boy didn't see him, Kaname was sure, as it was too dark for his human vision to discern much, let alone actually spot him when he was standing in the shadows. Still, those intent orbs looked on, aware of his presence, yet their owner didn't utter a word.

The brunet stepped into the room then, as smoothly and soundlessly as he had arrived. And he had no idea why he did it.

That attentive gaze stayed on him for another couple of seconds, and then the silver-haired boy averted his eyes back to the window. Having lingered there for a moment, they slid closed, silvery eyelashes fluttering slightly, as the little hunter took a sip of his drink. A soft sigh fell from his lips as he did that, his small form relaxing visibly.

Kaname blinked. Quite frankly, he was at a loss. To say that such reaction from the boy left him slightly bewildered would be an understatement.

Silence stretched. The pureblood remained in his place, watching the younger boy. His own gaze automatically went to the window, he couldn't help wondering what had captured the other's attention so. But there was nothing in it. Other than slowly descending snow. It was a peaceful night.

"Do you want some?" A soft, quiet voice broke the silence, startling the brunet out of his musings. Kaname's eyes widened a fraction, he turned to look at the other occupant of the room. The hunter's amethyst orbs were on him again, staring expectantly, probably waiting for the answer to their owner's earlier inquiry. The pureblood blinked, his brows furrowed ever so slightly in confusion. He didn't quite...

_'Oh...' _ He understood what the other meant when the boy lifted his cup a little and gave it a brief, but meaningful glance, most likely seeing the slight perplexity in Kaname's expression.

The brunet nodded automatically, not pondering over the offer too deeply. He lowered himself into one of the chairs standing around the table, silently watching the small form get up and go towards the kitchen counter. The little hunter's movements were surprisingly deft, considering the obvious lack of light. Kaname couldn't help wondering at that discovery.

His thoughts about that went to the back of his mind and were temporarily forgotten, however, when a hot cup of caramel tea placed on a matching saucer and accompanied by a teaspoon was put in front of him, soon followed by a sugar bowl. The silver-haired boy didn't say a word the whole time, and simply returned to his seat after tending to the pureblood.

Kaname watched the hunter silently for a few more moments, then turned his attention to the drink the human had made for him. He put one spoon of sugar into it before picking up the cup and taking a sip from it, humming inwardly as he savored the rich taste. The older boy relaxed involuntarily, his perfect posture slackening a little.

"It's good," the brunet uttered absent-mindedly before lifting his gaze to look at his companion.

He got a nod in response, those big eyes leaving him, lowering to the mug the boy was holding and staring at it impassively.

"...Why aren't you asleep?" Kaname found himself asking all of a sudden. And just as unexpectedly, he continued when the hunter's gaze returned to him, "Cross-san said it was a tiring day for all of you."

There was a brief silence before the human gave another nod, replying, "Mm. It was... But I..." he paused, averting his eyes, "couldn't sleep."

"Oh," was all Kaname could say. He took another sip of his tea, his attention going across the table and on the silver-haired boy's small hands for some reason. A thought of how feeble they seemed to be crossed his mind, along with some of Cross's earlier words.

After lingering on the thin digits for a short while, the pureblood's garnet orbs shifted higher, and landed on the slim, pale neck. They stayed there much longer – he couldn't help it, it was instinctual. When his gaze went further up, Kaname was startled to find the other's lavender hues staring back at him, somewhat curiously. Then a thoughtful frown appeared on the boy's features briefly as he inclined his head to the side ever so slightly.

Kaname wondered what it was about. His brows drew together in a faint frown as well. He didn't say anything though.

"You're a vampire...a pureblood," came the quiet voice, simply stating the fact with no fear or accusing undertones in it.

The brunet was surprised. And impressed to say the least. He was suppressing his aura almost completely – it was something like a habit for him to do it. It still wasn't hard to detect that he was a vampire, but to others' senses he should seem no higher than a noble. A powerful noble, yes, but nowhere near a pureblood. He had thought that had been the reason for the little hunter's calm demeanor – although that, too, was strange enough in itself.

"...I am," the brunet replied with a slight nod, stunned. But his expression remained void of any signs of his astonishment.

"You feel familiar..." the boy trailed off, his gaze lowering again.

"How so?" Kaname couldn't help but ask, his frown deepening at the other's words, but he received no further explanation as the hunter only shrugged softly and resumed drinking his tea quietly.

The pureblood did the same, after watching the younger boy for some time, expecting him to speak, which never happened. So he decided to dismiss the matter for now. Maybe the little human just meant Shizuka. They were both purebloods, so there were some similarities in their auras. And the night Cross brought them too...

"What is your name?" The hunter asked after some time, those unique eyes watching the brunet expectantly once more.

"...Kaname."

The boy's gaze lowered, contemplatively, as he nodded absently, "Kaname..." He looked up again, and gave a faint, barely perceptible smile as he uttered softly, "I'm Zero."

**-o-**

"Welcome back, Kaname," Takuma greeted him, looking up from the manga book he was reading, a radiant smile on his face as always, "How was your visit? How is Yuuki-chan?"

"I didn't see her," was the pureblood's simple reply as he made his way across the room to the bookshelf. "She was already sleeping when I arrived," he added distractedly, looking over the books to choose which one he wanted to read this time around.

"Eh?" Takuma blinked. "But... Where have you been all this time?"

"...At Cross-san's house." One title caught his attention and he took the thick volume, opening and starting to read it on his way to the comfortable chair standing slightly to the side from the sofa the younger Ichijou was occupying, oblivious to his blond friend's more than apparent confusion.

"What were you doing there?" Takuma couldn't help but blurt out, bewilderment was radiating from him in uncertain waves now. But he couldn't be blamed for his reaction, it was more than understandable. The only reason why Kaname visited the ex-hunter was to see Yuuki. And everything else didn't hold the slightest interest in his eyes. So the young noble's questions weren't unexpected.

And thankfully for the cheery blond, Kaname perfectly understood that. Which was why he simply answered the younger boy's inquiry calmly, his gaze never leaving the pages of the book he was reading, "Nothing in particular. Something just caught my attention on my way out is all."

"I see..." And now it was outright curiosity that was swirling in the noble's emerald eyes and around him. But having received no further explanation even after waiting and looking at his friend expectantly for more than ten long seconds, Takuma gave up, his posture slumping in obvious disappointment and a small pout making itself apparent on his features. He returned to his manga, very much sulking, in the pureblood's opinion.

Kaname stifled an amused chuckle at his friend's antics, a barely perceptible smile making its way on his lips. But it disappeared when his gaze left his book and he turned to look out the window.

The snow had stopped. And it was long past midnight by now.

Unwittingly, his thoughts strayed to the little hunter, to the older of the Kiryuu twins, _Zero_.

He wondered briefly if the boy was still there, sitting behind the kitchen table with another cup of caramel tea and gazing into the distance. Alone and in the darkness.

**-o- **

Zero gave another squeeze to the hand that rested in his own evidently shaking one lifelessly, too weak to even move.

He was a panicking, pitifully sobbing mess, even though he knew he wasn't supposed to be like this. But he couldn't do anything about it. It was Ichiru, his other half, his closest friend and his only remaining family. How else could he react to _this_?

His brother had been alright – more than alright – this whole time of four and a half weeks that they had been staying at Cross's house. He hadn't had a fever even once, he had been feeling better than ever and there had been no signs indicating the impending change in his condition, especially so sudden and drastic. And this morning, too, everything had been fine. It had started like an ordinary day and had continued that way until evening, when Ichiru suddenly started feeling unwell. That alone had been already enough to leave Zero agitated. And further aggravation of his twin's condition did nothing to calm him.

"Zero...?" A hoarse voice reached him, immediately earning the boy's undivided attention. Automatically, Zero's free hand reached to wipe off any traces of tears from his face before he replied, his tone soft and soothing, "I'm here, Ichiru. What is it?"

"'m thirsty...Water..."

As expected, the older boy was quick to grant his twin's incoherently mumbled request. Letting go of the hand in his, he reached for the glass of water on the nightstand and brought it to Ichiru's lips while helping his brother up, supporting his back carefully.

The younger Kiryuu drank greedily, downing the flavorless liquid in mere seconds, a tiny rivulet of clear water running down the side of his chin. Zero returned the now empty glass to its previous place, then wiped off the moisture from his twin's slightly feverish skin and lowered Ichiru down to bed. Gently brushing the stray silvery locks away from his counterpart's face, the older boy asked softly, "How are you feeling?"

"Better...a little."

"The doctor is on his way...It'll be alright, Ichiru."

_'It'll be alright...' _Zero repeated inwardly, over and over again, trying to convince himself of that more so than his twin.

"'kay..." Ichiru replied weakly, leaning into his brother's hand on his cheek.

"Do you need anything else?"

"No..." the younger boy answered, shaking his head slightly, before scooting over a little. Zero understood the silent request and wasted no time getting into the bed and lying down beside his twin.

_'It will be alright...' _he couldn't help but repeat in his mind again.

**-o-**

When he woke up next, probably only a few hours later judging by the same darkness that still engulfed their room, it became clear what was going on with Ichiru, and what exactly was wrong.

Lying in place motionlessly, Zero looked into red, blazing eyes – _vampire eyes – _staring down at him unwaveringly with sheer hunger burning in them vividly. He called his brother's name quietly, but no response came from the younger boy. Strangely enough though, even as that gaze was trained on him, he didn't feel any fear, nor worry.

It was Ichiru, _his _Ichiru. There was no way he could ever be scared of him. So he hadn't moved a muscle when he found his twin's form hovering over his upon awakening. He never made an attempt to escape, but simply stayed where he was, meeting Ichiru's fixed gaze with his own calm, but still concerned one. His heart was racing in his chest and he couldn't help it, but he ignored that too.

And just like that, he didn't protest when the trembling grip on him tightened and his head was forced to the side – still in a surprisingly gentle manner. Then that warm mouth that had previously pulled him out of his slumber returned to his neck, and he felt that same moist tongue on his skin, now moving with urgency and near desperation.

Briefly, Zero wondered if it would hurt. But that thought was fleeting and it quickly left him.

On their own accord, his arms enveloped Ichiru in a tight, reassuring embrace, and he pulled him closer, his hand stroking his twin's identically silver hair tenderly.

An involuntary shudder ran through him, and Zero inhaled deeply before letting out a shaky breath. The hold on him got firmer again, and Ichiru pressed further into him.

The older boy's eyes slid shut and he couldn't help but try to convince himself once more, _'Everything will be alright...'_

And then there was nothing but blinding pain that shot through him as his neck was pierced deeply.


	3. Another Last Snow

_**A/N: **A little later than I hoped and planned, but it's still a rather fast update for my terribly slow self, no? ;) Sorry, RL got busier than ever, and it's killing me, but I'll do my best to keep writing and updating as fast as I can anyway, you have my word. _

_Thank you for all your wonderful reviews – they really helped me when I was down and got lazy. And of course, thanks for all the favs and alerts adds – each of them made my days and nights *bows low* _

_Disclamer stands, as well as warnings and everything else. Without further ado, hope you'll enjoy reading! :D_

**Chapter 3: Another Last Snow**

"Zero-kun, what are those?" Yuuki inquired, giving the bandages around the said boy's neck a curious look as she stepped into the kitchen.

The older Kiryuu blinked, first not quite understanding what the other was talking about, but then his hand went to the place where the bitemarks were unconsciously, as though trying to cover them more. He brushed the spot gently, giving the brunet girl a small, a little nervous smile as he answered, "It's nothing. I just cut myself."

"Oh, I see... Does it hurt?" It looked like Yuuki believed him. Well, thank God for that, Zero sighed in relief mentally.

"No, not at all. Don't worry about it, Yuuki," he patted her lightly on the head, causing a small blush to appear on the girl's cheeks. Although Zero was oblivious to it, like usual. So unlike his younger twin.

"What are you cooking today?" the girl asked excitedly, her mind already on the delicious scents that were beginning to float in the kitchen, promising her yet another wonderful start of the morning. Sniffing the air again unconsciously, she gave a small hum of content internally, already impatient to dig into the soon to be prepared meal.

"It's miso soup and rice," Zero responded, returning his attention back to the pot and its contents with a soft, fond smile playing on his lips. He had decided to go for traditional today. Strange as it may sound, it was Ichiru's comfort food, for whatever reason. And Zero thought his twin needed it right now – the younger boy was down still, and had been this whole morning because of what had happened. He had told him more than a few times that it was okay and that he didn't mind, but apparently, it had failed to ease Ichiru's guilt and to lift his mood. So he chose the only other way he knew to somehow raise his counterpart's spirits. Usually it helped, so Zero hoped it would work this time around as well.

"I haven't tried it before..." came Yuuki's uncertain, but still hesitantly excited voice. She watched the pot and Zero's every movement with rapt attention now, her wide eyes twinkling with curiosity in them. The silver-haired boy couldn't help the light chuckle that fell from his lips at the sight, but it looked like the brunet didn't notice it, too engrossed in her observations.

He dismissed his surprised comment on how it could be even possible that the girl hadn't had it before – it was one of the most popular and simplest kind of dishes in their country after all. But he guessed it would be pointless to ask anyway, as it was enough to remember Cross and his remarkable 'skills and techniques' to get the answer. A grimace almost made its way on his delicate features as the boy recalled a few incidents. Ichiru had been right. It was a miracle that both father and daughter were still alive. And that the house was still intact and not burnt long ago – if it hadn't happened already some time in the past. The older Kiryuu wouldn't put that possibility aside – the blond ex-hunter was capable of causing such a thing, he was more than sure.

Zero spooned up some soup and blew on it lightly before tasting it. A soft hum sounded from him after a few moments and he nodded to himself in silent content. He turned to Yuuki then, taken aback a little when he found her expectant eyes fixed on him unwaveringly. Quick to recover, however, he gave the girl a small smile, and asked her to set the table, receiving an enthusiastic nod in response. Lavender orbs followed the brunet for a couple of seconds, then returned to the almost ready meal. He added a few more finishing touches, and soon turned the stove off.

**-o-**

There were some divine smells coming from the kitchen, and he couldn't help it when unwittingly, he inhaled deeply, which caused his eyes to slide closed briefly and his stomach to growl slightly. He was hungry, and these aromas were more than tempting, but he absolutely refused to concede. He refused to...

And yet here he was. Already in the kitchen, before he was even aware of the fact that his legs had brought him into the room.

Damn Zero for knowing him so well. And for being his quietly sneaky self – he just knew what buttons to push and was perfectly aware that Ichiru could never refuse him. And now he was using all that against him shamelessly, which was usually the younger twin's privilege that Ichiru never missed the opportunity to abuse. But with his brother's consent, of course – he ever did it only because Zero allowed so. Otherwise he would never take advantage of his other half's soft spot for him. Although...

Ah well. It wasn't significant at the moment.

"Yuuki," Ichiru's hazed from thoughts eyes focused on the source of the soft voice, all his attention was on his brother even though it wasn't him Zero was talking to, "can you call Cross-san, please? Everything is ready."

Lively as ever, the girl gave an enthusiastic "Okay!" in reply and turned to head out of the room. It was then that she finally noticed him. She halted in her steps momentarily, blinking, then smiled widely anew and greeted him, "Good morning, Ichiru-kun!"

"Yeah... morning," was the said boy's monotonous, mumbled response as he proceeded into the room quietly and seated himself in one of the chairs around the table, his gaze anywhere but on his brother's form.

"That's cheating, you know..." Ichiru muttered, a slight pout could be heard in his voice, and Zero didn't fail to catch it, but he didn't feel the slightest bit guilty despite his counterpart's accusation – it wasn't serious anyway, halfhearted at best.

"Yeah," Zero replied simply, his soft, amused gaze shifting to rest on the younger boy as he gave him a small, content smile. "But so long as it works..." he trailed off, the corners of his lips lifting further, this time somewhat smugly – so uncharacteristic of the older Kiryuu.

Ichiru couldn't help the slight twitch of his own lips. And then they curved upwards as he ducked his head, his eyes falling on his favorite meal his twin had already placed in front of him. A gentle look took over the boy's features, and he let out a quiet sigh. His hand went to rub his chest area unconsciously as he felt warmth spread there, something inside of him finally calming down.

**-o-**

"Yuuki, look who I have here," Cross's voice nearly sang happily as he entered the kitchen where three children were, preoccupied with their self-appointed task.

"Kaname-sama!" the girl beamed, having turned her gaze to the doorway where her adopted father stood, only to see another familiar form there, smiling at her gently. As always, she ran to the older brunet and gave him a hug, which he accepted gladly. "I didn't know you'd come. What are you doing here?" Yuuki asked, pulling away and looking up at the pureblood with a wide smile and an excited blush on her face.

Kaname let out a small chuckle before responding, his hand patting the girl's head gently, "I promised I would visit more often, didn't I?"

To which the little brunet nodded happily, and her smile broadened further as her arms encircled Kaname's waist briefly once more. Then she let go and took a hold of his hand, and pulled him after her, telling the vampire that she wanted him to meet someone.

"Zero-kun, Ichiru-kun," hearing their names, the twins looked up from what they were doing, returning their attention to the pair – they had spent no more than a few short seconds to silently observe the whole scene that had unfolded in front of them previously, quickly losing interest in it.

Yuuki proceeded to introduce them, but for once, her voice didn't reach Kaname's ears as his garnet orbs were already concentrated on Zero's slim neck, having noticed the bandages right away. He was a bit bewildered at first, but the initial shock and confusion passed soon enough, as realization dawned on him, and the pureblood's gaze shot to the older Kiryuu's face.

"Kaname-sama...?"

But he was successfully brought out of his short daze by Yuuki's uncertain call of his name. Quickly recovering, the pureblood turned to the girl and gave her another soft smile of his, this one somewhat uneasy, although the younger brunet didn't notice it. He averted his attention back to the twins then, finding the both of them frowning slightly, apparently puzzled – he guessed by his behavior. So he composed himself anew, and greeted the silver-haired boys as well, his usual mask back in place.

"It's nice to meet you, Ichiru-kun," he gave the younger twin a nod of acknowledgment before turning to the other Kiryuu, "How have you been, Zero-kun?"

"Fine...thanks."

"You know him?" Ichiru asked immediately, his frown deepening.

"Mm," the boy nodded simply, adding, "we met once." It was obvious that both Yuuki and his twin were curious to know the details, so Zero continued, answering their most probable questions, "Here. By accident." And that was it. He returned his attention to the big bowl standing on the table in front of him and resumed whisking the mixture there, fully ignoring expectant looks his brother and Yuuki were giving him.

After a few more moments of silence, however, they gave up. Ichiru sighed, also returning to his own task, and Yuuki pouted.

Kaname couldn't help a small chuckle that left him as he watched the three.

"Oh, do you want to help us, Kaname-sama?" Yuuki perked up, easily forgetting about her disappointment, "We're making a cake!"

"More like _we _are making it. And you just breathe down our necks waiting for it," Ichiru scoffed, not looking at her. A smug smirk coming onto his lips when he received a frustrated huff in response.

Kaname's brow twitched, his smile faltering. He opened his mouth to comment on the younger Kiryuu's tactlessness, but Yuuki spoke first, unusually vehement and far from her usual shy self. To say that it caught Kaname by surprise would surely be an understatement.

"I _do _help! Zero-kun even praised me for it!"

"Well, my brother _is _a softie." And that was true. "He just wanted to make you feel better," Ichiru shrugged dismissively.

Another twitch. The boy was really crossing the line.

"No, he didn't!"

"Sure did. I know him."

"Ichiru..." Zero sighed. What should he do with him?

"He didn't!" Yuuki turned to the older twin then, looking at him uncertainly, her big eyes pleading as she asked hopefully, "Right, Zero-kun?"

The older boy threw his counterpart a scolding gaze before turning to the brunet girl with a faint smile, "Right, Yuuki. Don't listen to Ichiru, he is just teasing you. He doesn't mean it."

"Really?" the girl's face lightened.

"Of course I do," Ichiru spoke before his brother had the chance to answer.

"No, you _don't_," Zero gave him a _look_, silently pleading with him. Needless to say, Ichiru couldn't find it in himself to resist it. His resolve crumbled at astonishing speed as he stared into his other half's amethyst hues quietly.

So it wasn't long before he gave in, sighing resignedly, "Okay...I don't." He shot his twin an accusing glance, "Happy now?" To which he received a beautiful, albeit small, smile, along with a satisfied nod. And that alone was enough to make him forget about the fact that his fun had just been spoiled. And again, he couldn't prevent the corners of his lips from lifting slightly.

Kaname stared, perplexed. And more than a little amused for sure, highly impressed by the older Kiryuu's..._persuasive skills_, so to speak. It was actually quite fascinating to watch the boy use them on his twin, and to see the other yield so easily.

"So, do you?" came Zero's voice, and the pureblood blinked, taken aback upon realizing that the question was directed at him.

"I beg your pardon?"

An eyebrow was quirked at him, "Want to help. Yuuki asked you that."

"Oh..." Right. He forgot. "I would love to." Again, he replied without thinking. "But I...don't know how." In all honesty, he had no idea. He had never set a foot into the kitchens of both his former and current homes, let alone cooked anything, or even knew how to do it at that.

"Can't be any worse than Yuuki then."

"Ichiru-kun!" the said girl whined, causing a slight smirk to appear on the younger twin's face and another sigh to fall from the older one's lips, while Kaname stifled another chuckle on his part.

But his mirth didn't last long, as worry and apprehension were fast to crawl into the back of his mind when his gaze fell on the bandaged neck of Zero again. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, expression hardening for an instant, before he put his usual mask back on. But even that small slip was enough, as he found out the next moment when his attention went to the older twin's face, and he was taken aback, having been met with lilac hues staring back at him knowingly.

**-o-**

"You saw that, didn't you?" Kaname whispered, knowing that the other would hear him all the same. "There is no way you could have missed it. And you are still telling me that he is not a threat? That he is _harmless_...?"

"Yes, Kaname-kun," a soft smile came to the blond man's lips, his voice just as quiet, as his gaze flickered to the entrance to the living room, "I am. And I think you should have noticed and confirmed it for yourself already. Or am I wrong?" Cross tilted his head slightly to the side, his attention now fully on the brunet vampire, "Have you detected any signs that indicated some ill intentions from Ichiru-kun?"

"...No." His fist tightened involuntarily. "But maybe it's just too early to-"

"Exactly," the ex-hunter interrupted, still smiling kindly with calm look in his hazel eyes, "It's too early to tell for sure, and furthermore, to judge him or anyone at that. You can't jump to conclusions like that, after only one encounter."

"Sometimes it's more than enough," Kaname retorted. He knew that from experience, and from countless occurrences.

"But not in this case," the man averted his gaze briefly, then returned it to the pureblood, "And we will leave it at that." His smile turned into a goofy grin, all seriousness gone from his expression as Cross greeted the three children who had just stepped into the room.

Taking her seat beside the older brunet, Yuuki gave Kaname a plate with his piece of cake on it, which the vampire accepted with another deceptive, yet genuinely gentle smile of his, once again making the girl blush shyly.

But the pureblood missed it, as his attention was already focused on the twins who sat in the armchair to the side from the couch the two brunets occupied.

**-o-**

As Cross had suggested, Kaname had indeed dropped the matter. At least for the time being. And only partly, as he refused to let his guard down completely – he could never do that, especially in such circumstances that involved his precious girl. So he kept his eye on the potential threat that the younger Kiryuu represented, in his opinion.

And as time went by and seasons changed, soon it was a little over a year since the twins' appearance in their lives. Kaname was pretty much used to having both boys around when he visited Cross's quarters, and from what he had seen so far, it was safe to say that the two had become an inseparable part of the blond ex-hunter and Yuuki's lives. The pureblood wasn't quite sure what his thoughts and feelings were on that particular detail as of yet, but so long as his dear girl was safe – which she proved to be, to his relief – and happy, he was content as well.

Besides, he didn't mind the twins, at least not the older one of them, but the younger one still bothered him at times. That was why he never stopped his observation of the boys. And as it went on, after some while, it had led to...discoveries he would have never expected to stumble upon. At least not in that society he didn't belong to, the one that was supposed to be so different from his own. He often thought that he was just imagining things, and wondered if for the second time when it concerned the twins, he was mistaken. But his guess only proved to be correct as days went by, with every new encounter...

Kaname's train of thoughts came to a halt as his ears picked up on the sound of light footsteps rapidly coming closer on the other side of the door.

The brunet raised an eyebrow. He could sense that it was Ichiru, and not Yuuki who usually ran to the entrance eagerly to greet him. And he knew for sure that the boy wasn't rushing here to welcome _him _of all people. What was...

The door flew open sharply. And the pureblood was stunned for a second when he saw the look on Ichiru's face. Pure expectancy and happiness mixed with relief. The boy's face was the most alive Kaname had ever seen it become. But that expression disappeared the moment lavender orbs landed on him, and the younger Kiryuu was back to his usual demeanor with him.

"Oh..." He sounded positively disappointed, and it was clear from his aura as well, because it evidently darkened and grew heavier. "Just you..."

Kaname's brow twitched.

Oh yes, charming as ever. Especially when it came to him. So the brunet wasn't really surprised by this reaction. But he did feel curious about it. He couldn't help wondering who the younger Kiryuu was waiting so.

He didn't get to say a word, however, as Ichiru quickly turned on his heels and went back into the house, leaving Kaname standing on the threshold, obviously not caring about the pureblood whatsoever.

Watching the retreating form silently, the brunet let out a resigned sigh before entering the house and closing the door after himself quietly. Then, as his fingers were sliding from the doorknob, a small smile appeared on his lips, and the thoughts of Ichiru and his strange behavior were dismissed at once, at least for now.

"Yuuki..." Kaname said softly, turning to face his most precious person, then going through their usual ritual of greetings, with the girl giving him a warm hug, him returning it gently, and then patting her auburn hair and stroking her cheek adoringly. His smile widened ever so slightly and he suppressed a light chuckle as a faint blush spread over the younger brunet's smooth cheeks.

Yuuki led him to the living room then, where he was immediately reminded of his earlier bewilderment with the younger Kiryuu's behavior, as the boy sat there stiffly, staring into space unseeingly with gloomy and nervous air about him.

A small frown crossed Kaname's features briefly, and he turned to look down at Yuuki with question apparent in his garnet eyes. The girl gave him an uneasy, somewhat forced smile before replying to him in a hushed tone.

"It's Zero. His hunter master took him somewhere four days ago, and he hasn't returned since then, so..." she trailed off, her gaze straying back to the silver-haired boy in the armchair.

_'Oh...'_ Kaname's eyes cleared in understanding. _'Of course.'_ There was only one person who could affect Ichiru to such an extent – his twin. He should have guessed earlier, when the boy had opened the door.

"Zero-kun is expected to return tonight then?" he couldn't help but voice out his assumption, secretly disappointed that the older Kiryuu wasn't present – but just a bit. And he wouldn't admit it out loud.

Yuuki nodded, smiling happily.

"I see," he replied, averting his gaze slightly to the side, somewhat thoughtful, as something fluttered in his chest briefly and garnet orbs glinted with anticipation for a short moment.

"Let's go, Kaname-sama." Yuuki's voice reached him, pulling him out of his momentary daze. She tugged at his hand, heading for the couch, and the pureblood followed obediently, a faint, but sweet smile making its way on his face again.

**-o-**

"Aren't you going to bed as well? It is late, you must be tired," the brunet said as he re-entered the room and saw the younger boy where he had been for the last couple of hours or so, not moving and even more agitated than he had been before.

"It's none of your business," Ichiru grumbled irritatedly, tightening his arms around his knees that were drawn up to his chest. "And I'm not tired," he added, frowning and almost pouting, from what Kaname could see. The boy lowered his head and let his chin rest on his bent knees then, mumbling stubbornly, "I'll wait for Zero."

Kaname let the first part of Ichiru's response slide, knowing that it was mostly his foul mood speaking. That, and he was actually used to this far from adoring treatment by now. He was very much aware that the boy wasn't too fond of him – or of anyone who wasn't Zero at that. The second part, however, made him lift a skeptical eyebrow, while the last one was hardly of any surprise.

"Is that so?" the pureblood said distractedly, proceeding into the room. He lowered himself onto the couch again, and it was only then that the younger Kiryuu actually turned his gaze to him – for the second time that night, first being when the brunet had only arrived.

"Why the hell are you making yourself comfortable here?" Ichiru's frown deepened, "Go away. You're annoying."

Another lift of one elegant eyebrow.

"Where did you learn such words, Ichiru-kun?" Kaname couldn't help asking, a bit surprised, dismissing the rest of the boy's reply. He certainly hoped that his dear Yuuki wouldn't be influenced by the younger Kiryuu's new vocabulary.

"None of your business," Ichiru shot back, turning away from the pureblood with a dark scowl on his face.

Kaname sighed. Then averted his gaze from the silver-haired boy silently. It was obvious that this..._conversation_, if he could call it that, wouldn't lead anywhere. The boy was too distressed. And it seemed like his emotional condition was worsening with every passing second. So after about half an hour the already heavy enough atmosphere in the room was nearly suffocating even for the brunet.

But quite surprisingly, Ichiru's mood immediately and almost completely lightened when after another couple of minutes, sharp knocks disturbed the silence of the room. And the boy was gone before Kaname could even blink. With that same expectant look on his face the young pureblood had seen upon his arrival.

He let out a deep sigh and got up, then headed to the hallway and proceeded in the direction of the entrance, where he could hear the door had already been opened and two individuals had stepped into the house. Kaname could tell from their auras that both were hunters, with one of them much more experienced and powerful than the other. And judging by the smell of death that surrounded the older hunter, they had most likely returned from the hunt.

"Ichiru," the pureblood heard Zero's quiet voice before he actually saw the boy that stood by the door, enveloped in his counterpart's arms tightly, "It's okay, and I'm alright. But it's getting hard to breathe..." The boy let out a small laugh when his twin jumped back and away from him sharply immediately after he had spoken the last sentence. The flustered and slightly embarrassed look on Ichiru's face was priceless, and Zero couldn't help letting out a light chuckle. Which caused the younger twin's expression to morph into a rather endearing pout. But it was gone as soon as the older Kiryuu took a hold of his brother's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, a tiny smile playing on his lips.

Kaname watched the two, and after a few more seconds of staying on Ichiru, Zero's gaze went to the side and stopped at the pureblood, garnet eyes locking with lavender ones. His smile never faltered as the boy looked at him, and Kaname felt pleasant warmth spread somewhere in his chest briefly. It startled and puzzled him a bit, but he easily dismissed it for now. Zero opened his mouth to say something to the brunet, but no sound left him as a gruff voice broke the silence first.

"What the hell is a vampire doing here at this hour?"

Kaname looked up from Zero's form to meet with a steely glare a tall man with long, wavy jet black hair with an eyepatch over his right eye fixed him with. Unwittingly, the pureblood's gaze slid briefly to the rifle the hunter was holding over his shoulder, ready to fire any second despite his seemingly relaxed posture. His senses were warning him of danger, but he ignored that caution, knowing that the older hunter had no intention of attacking him – that much was evident from his behavior.

What Kaname did pay heed to though, was the way the question the man had thrown at him was phrased.

Again, one perfect brow went up slightly, but the brunet vampire stayed quiet.

Well, at least now his earlier query to the younger Kiryuu was answered.

"And a _pureblood _at that," the senior hunter continued, almost managing to make Kaname flinch internally. Never in his life had the brunet boy thought – or imagined – there could come a day when he would actually feel insulted that he was called a 'pureblood'. But seriously, the man's tone was laced with so much venom and disdain that it was kind of hard to remain unaffected.

"I-"

"Nothing." Ichiru interrupted sharply, his voice firm, "He's already leaving. Right?" The boy turned to Kaname, looking at him with annoyed expectancy, not so discreetly impatient to get rid of the brunet vampire. The pureblood's eyes narrowed slightly in irritation as he kept his burgundy orbs locked with dark lavender ones steadily, before averting them a bit to the side to meet with seemingly identical, but in reality so different calm ones that watched him curiously, if only with the barest hint of hesitation and concern in them.

Kaname didn't miss how Zero's pale, tiny fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around that of his twin. Just like he didn't miss the light pang he felt as he watched the brief action – for what reason though, he had no clue.

And the next second his gaze softened involuntarily. He let his eyes slide closed for a moment and sighed softly, then re-opened them to regard the younger Kiryuu anew. A deceitfully pleasant, small smile on his lips as he finally answered to the boy's inquiry, "Yes, that is correct. It is indeed time for me to go."

He had no business there anyway. He didn't know why he still was in this house. Or why he had even _stayed _in the first place. He should have left right after he had put Yuuki to bed, and not go back to the living room and sit there with Ichiru.

"Well then," Kaname made his way towards the door. Giving the three a polite bow, he said his goodbye, and, having unconsciously exchanged another glance with Zero, left, failing to notice the suspicious look the dark-haired hunter shot him.

A quiet _'click' _sounded as the door was pulled shut. Zero's gaze stayed on it for a couple of seconds before his attention was averted to Ichiru once more when the said boy tugged at his arm.

"Let's go, Zero. It's late."

"Mm," Zero nodded, following his twin who pulled him after himself, stopping briefly only to ask his mentor, "And you, master?"

The man tore his eye from the closed door and turned to look down at the two boys, who frowned simultaneously when he remained silent and just watched them with a thoughtful frown of his own. Then, after a few more moments, he seemed to come out of his musings.

"I'll go see that crazy old idiot," he said, ruffling their identical silver hair roughly as he passed by them. "You brats go to bed."

Both twins gave their wordless nods, then said good night, receiving a grunted reply from the older man, and proceeded to their room.

**-o-**

"I missed you," Ichiru murmured, his arms tightening around Zero as he drew his counterpart closer. "Don't leave for so long anymore."

He got a soft smile. Then his twin gave him a quiet "Okay" in response.

"Promise?"

A light nod. "Promise."

"Good..." Ichiru trailed off, obviously satisfied with his brother's answers. He knew Zero would keep his word no matter what, especially if he was the one asking for it. "How was the hunt? Nothing bad happened, right? You weren't hurt?" A concerned frown took over the younger boy's features.

Zero's smile widened, and he failed to suppress a light chuckle that escaped him. "It was alright. Nothing much happened and no, I wasn't hurt. You worry too much, Ichiru. You know how good Yagari-shishou is."

"I do. But still..."

"I know," pale fingers brushed a few stray locks out of Ichiru's eyes and tucked them behind the younger boy's ear, "Thank you, Ichiru."

The younger twin didn't say anything and just watched his other half silently before lowering his gaze and nodding gently, a rather content expression on his face.

"And you?" Ichiru gave a slight start at his brother's hushed voice, feeling small puffs of warm breath on his skin with each uttered word, light tingling sensation following it.

"What about me?" the boy asked, a bit bewildered. "I said I missed you..."

"No, not that..." Zero looked down briefly before his gaze flickered back to the other, "...Are you hungry? It's been a while..."

Ichiru's eyes widened a fraction after he blinked in realization. Then a reassuring smile appeared on his face and he tightened their embrace, moving even closer to his counterpart. His eyes slid shut as he breathed in and let out a deep sigh, his forehead now touching with that of Zero, "I'm okay, don't worry about it."

The older boy watched his twin wordlessly for a few seconds before lowering his lavender orbs, concern still lingering in them clearly.

"Kaname..." Zero whispered the name, noticing how his brother froze for a short moment and squeezed his hand tighter, bringing it closer to his chest. His eyes remained hidden from view, but the older boy had no problem detecting the barely noticeable darkening of Ichiru's mood nevertheless. Still, he continued, "Did he upset you?"

"Not particularly," the younger Kiryuu shrugged one shoulder, "You know I just don't like him. And it annoys me how often he comes here." His expression showed how true his words were, as Zero could clearly see irritation written there.

"...While I was gone, nothing happened, right?"

At that Ichiru opened his eyes again, now looking at his counterpart curiously, "With that pureblood?" Having received a nod in response, he continued, "Like what?"

"…" He didn't know. But at times, he couldn't help being a bit apprehensive to leave Ichiru alone, to let him out of his sight when Kaname was nearby. It was the way the brunet looked at his twin sometimes – his eyes during those moments just reminded him too much of the way their parents had gazed at his other half every so often. He hadn't liked it then, and he hardly appreciated it now. It caused uneasiness to spread within the older Kiryuu, making him feel cold, frightening and agitating him. Even at this very moment, as he was recalling all that.

But he was pulled out of his unpleasant musings when arms around him tightened even further. Of course, Ichiru had noticed his anxiety and was fast to try and calm him down. And as usual, he succeeded in it rather easily, for that coldness Zero felt disappeared the instant he saw another smile his twin gave him – it conveyed everything he needed to know and managed to soothe the older boy, with no words necessary.

**-o-**

Hesitation and slight uneasiness was evident in the bright emerald orbs as they watched the still figure sitting near the window and staring into it unseeingly. The brunet had been completely motionless for more than five minutes by now, with the book he had been previously reading held in his hands, which were resting on his lap, loosely, and frankly, it disturbed Takuma. He was getting more than a little worried about his friend.

"...Is there something wrong, Kaname?" the blond noble couldn't help asking uncertainly. But he failed to bring the pureblood out of his musings, as the older vampire showed no sign of acknowledgment whatsoever. It was only after several more callings of his name that Kaname snapped out of his daze.

He blinked once, a barely noticeable frown marring his features as he averted his attention to the blond boy and asked, "I'm sorry, Takuma... What was that you were saying?"

His concern heightening slightly, the noble repeated his original question.

"Not at all... Why are you asking?"

"No, it's just... You seem to be a bit...distracted tonight." Yeah, to say the least. So unlike the pureblood's usual sharp collected self. Not to mention the fact that his aura felt somewhat...off.

"Oh... I see." Garnet eyes stayed on the blond for another couple of seconds before returning to the window, cloudy and distant once more. "But you're worrying yourself unnecessarily, Takuma. It's nothing of importance. Just some trivial matters..."

_'It's nothing...' _Kaname repeated inwardly, almost beginning to believe in it himself.

Concern was still present in the younger vampire's gaze and he wasn't quite convinced for sure, but he conceded anyway, choosing not to pester his pureblood friend any further.

"If you say so..." Takuma trailed off, his attention going back to his manga book, although he wasn't as immersed in reading anymore. He couldn't help throwing the brunet anxious glances every so often, but it looked like, for once, the older boy was oblivious to it, completely absorbed in his thoughts.


	4. White Lilies

_**A/N: **Surprised? Yeah, I am as well. I can hardly believe how soon this update actually came out. But now I have to warn you about the next one in advance. Because of one HUGE pile of assignments and reports and homework I MUST do for Uni, I have to put aside my writing for at least two to three weeks. It's killing me to do so, and I'll probably still be sneaking here and there and use any opportunity I can get to add a line or two into the new chapter, but all in all, I seriously plan to concentrate on my studies for a few weeks. And I'm sorry, but I can't really apologize for that *bows deeply*_

_As always, I thank you for all your reviews and adds. They have been such an inspiration, and I truly appreciate each and every one of them._

_Disclamer and warnings are still the same. Hope you'll enjoy this brand new chapter! :D _

**Chapter 4: White Lilies**

It had taken him a lot of time and even more courage to make up his mind and come here. At long last, after all these years...

Yet it was still hard to do it, to be in this place – so much harder than he had imagined. He had no idea how he should act and what he should say. He couldn't even lift his eyes and take a look at _them_, let alone actually greet them properly. Maybe he was just being stupid, like he knew he must have been all this time, but... he couldn't help it, couldn't bring himself to do what he should, what he _wanted _to do and what he had come here for.

And so like that, a few hours had already passed by since he had arrived. He never moved from his position and simply kept standing there, staring at the ground unseeingly with a small nervous frown and barely visible pained expression on his features, a bouquet resting in his arms, pressed to his chest gently.

It wasn't until another short while that Zero lifted his gaze slowly, hesitantly, and focused it on the tombstone in front of him, his eyes immediately falling on the names that were carved there – the names of his parents. The silver-haired boy and now soon-to-be teen stared at the syllables silently for a few moments, images of familiar, precious features of both his mother and father making its way into his unprotected mind. It wasn't long before they were replaced with a flood of memories – of everything, every little and insignificant detail and event that they had experienced together, when they still were a happy family. And he couldn't help but feel a sharp pang of guilt and sadness, his eyes involuntarily beginning to sting from overwhelming emotions. His fingers tightened slightly, and the boy's gaze turned to the flowers in his hands, somewhat surprised, as if he just remembered that he had them with him.

Lavender orbs blinked, and without thinking much, Zero lowered himself and put the bouquet on the grave like he knew he was supposed to do – it had been, after all, purchased for this and none other purpose in the first place. Otherwise he would have hardly bought white lilies. For personally, although he liked the way they looked and deemed them beautiful, he thought their scent was... a bit funny, at least for his liking. But he remembered well that those were the flowers his late mother had favored most, so he had chosen them right away, without any hesitation.

He didn't get up after that, deciding to stay in his sitting position now that he had finally made the first move. He guessed he should also..._talk _to them, after these few hours of complete silence, and after all this time of not visiting them – and he wanted to too, but nothing came to his mind. He opened his mouth a couple of times, but no sound left him, because he didn't know what to say, and where to start from. His head was just suddenly empty of any ideas and thoughts, and all he could do was simply sit there, staring ahead of him at their names on the tombstone, before his watery eyes shifted down. Tears spilled from them the next instant of their own accord, but Zero made no attempt to stop their flow, either not really noticing or simply not caring.

Quiet sobs kept falling from pale lips, filling the absolute silence of the graveyard, sounding loud and clear in it. It wasn't until another while that the boy spoke, his voice raspy and shaking.

"Mom...Dad..." Zero's form was trembling as he wept quietly, unable to stop and calm down now that the sadness, guilt and regret he had kept locked up in himself these two and a half years had come to the surface.

"I-..." he inhaled sharply and unevenly, small whimpers escaping him, "I'm sorry," he breathed out almost inaudibly, his fingers clutching at the fabric of his pants tightly, "I'm sorry..."

Shaking shoulders slumped even more than previously, head bowing further to the point where neither Zero's closed eyes nor his face itself could be seen. Soft sobs kept raking his small form as he sat there, continuing to whisper hushed apologies.

Eventually though, the boy's voice faded away altogether. And it wasn't too long before his whimpers quietened down a bit along with the shaking. For some more time, Zero stayed there, his vision blurry as he stared at his bent knees with puffy and reddened, slightly narrowed eyes, wet trails still on his cheeks and occasional teardrops slipping down every so often.

Silence took over the place once again after another while, the day was getting closer to its end and evening was approaching. It would be dark soon, and Zero knew he had to go back, because it was dangerous to wander in the night, especially alone. Not to mention the fact that Ichiru and Cross would definitely be worried, if they weren't already – his brother more so than his guardian.

He knew he needed to leave, but that, too, wasn't easy – just as coming here hadn't been either. So he stayed a little longer, still not speaking and not doing much other than looking at his parents' grave some more.

"...I miss you..." he uttered finally after another long period of silence, his words barely audible. "I miss you... so much..."

His gaze fell, and silver head bent a bit. Zero's form, that he hadn't until now been aware was tense, relaxed slightly, at long last, and he let out a shaky sigh.

"But I...I'm okay, really, and Ichiru..." the boy took in a deep breath, "he is fine too..." Even though he wasn't here with him. But Zero hadn't expected his twin to accompany him and come, due to obvious reasons. "So...you don't have to worry about us, everything is..." he didn't finish his sentence, trailing off. Pale fingers fumbled with each other feebly, sad amethyst orbs watching them blankly. The silver-haired boy stayed quiet for a few seconds, but then continued, a faint, barely visible smile tugging the corners of his pale lips up a bit, "You know uncle Cross, right?" He didn't receive an answer, but that was expected, so he wasn't discouraged in the slightest and simply continued after a moment, "He is nice. Really weird and kind of crazy, but not in a bad way... It's actually fun being around him, and he is good to us..."

"There is also Yuuki- it's his adopted daughter, she is one year younger than us, and they're really alike with uncle Cross – I would've never thought they weren't related," Zero's smile got more perceptible, now reaching his eyes as well. "Ichiru always teases her about...well, pretty much everything," he allowed a small chuckle to fall from his lips, remembering a few occurrences with his brother and the brunet girl, "and it's so much fun to watch the two of them..."

For another short while, the silver-haired boy lapsed into silence, still not lifting his gaze. Then Zero spoke again, his smile faltering briefly and voice dropping a little, "And there is Kaname... He is a pureblood, and Yuuki really likes him." Unlike Ichiru. "He used to visit a lot, but we haven't seen him for a while now..." For over a year actually. Zero guessed the pureblood was very busy. Which, while certainly upset Yuuki, pleased Ichiru just as much, if not more – for reasons the older Kiryuu twin still couldn't quite comprehend though.

"It's..." Zero's voice was nothing but a faint whisper now, "Everything is...alright..." Lilac eyes shifted to the white, bell-shaped flowers, thin fingers going to trace the cool surface of the plants slowly, thoughtfully, "Ichiru is healthy now, and it's much easier for him to train... Yagari-shishou even takes both of us with him on easier missions sometimes, to observe..."

He fell silent the next moment, but continued to caress one of the lilies softly, the movements of his digits slowing down gradually, before stopping altogether. The boy was motionless and it was quiet again. Zero's eyes stayed on the bouquet for some more time, and then went up slowly, stopping on the carved letters once more. Hesitantly, he raised his arm and reached for the tombstone, his fingers brushing over the names there gently. His smile widened a bit, but instead of making his expression look happier, it only did the opposite, as the boy seemed to be more in pain than he had been previously.

His eyes were watery again, and soft lips parted slightly to let the whispered words escape, "I have to go..."

It was late. Almost sunset already... And Ichiru must be worried sick by now.

"But I... I will come again." Very soon, and they wouldn't have to wait for so long this time around. "And will talk to you some more, I promise..."

At least he would try, and maybe he would even get a little better at it. And maybe, just maybe, he would actually get his twin to come here with him and visit them as well, some time in the future... Zero was certain their parents would have wanted that. No matter what. In spite of everything that had happened. At least he hoped so.

"I promise..."

**-o-**

It had been almost a year and a half. For some it may be long, but for him who had a whole millennium ahead of him it was actually supposed to be a rather short period of time, especially with how busy he had been all these months. The project they were working on with Cross took a lot of time and efforts, a lot of issues had had to be dealt with, so it was pretty much safe to say that he had hardly had any free minute to spend all this while, and not only because of their work on co-existence, but also due to some of the Vampire Council affairs that required his attention and involvement.

Which was why he hadn't seen neither Yuuki, nor the twins, and not even Cross this whole time. To his greatest regret, for he missed the lively, warm, joyful evenings he had spent at the ex-hunter's house dearly. He missed his precious girl, her smiles and laughter, and everything that she was. And not only her, even Cross with his antics, Ichiru with his indifference and cold treatment, and of course... Zero...

Not for the first time, Kaname felt his chest tighten at the thought of the boy. But he had long learned not to pay much attention to it. For it had occurred too many times by now for him to really mind it. So the brunet dismissed the odd sensation easily.

Yes, the young pureblood had missed the four, and he had yearned to visit that welcoming house every second of this long while. He had even planned to, more than once or twice, but every time something just came up and pulled him away from there again, and so half a year had gone by, and then a whole year, and then another few months, and he had hardly noticed. It was only now Kaname realized how much time had passed, how Yuuki and the twins must have grown again, and how a lot of things in their lives must have changed as well... Only now did the pureblood understand how he truly missed them and how much he longed to see them...

Which he had gotten the opportunity to do, at long last. And he was delighted and couldn't help the excitement he felt, although, as always, he concealed it quite well – his expression certainly didn't betray his true emotions.

And so, both thrilled and somewhat apprehensive, Kaname arrived at this desired destination that was Cross's living quarters. He could tell the blond man was genuinely surprised, but pleasantly so – that much was obvious from the ex-hunter's demeanor and the way he had greeted him warmly. Even from that little act of kindness and show of affection, the brunet was filled with happiness, and he couldn't help but anticipate seeing the younger members of the family all the more eagerly.

However, he was in for disappointment, because as it turned out, Yuuki wasn't present. She was currently staying at her school friend's house, so Kaname wouldn't be able to see her. Strangely enough, however, the pureblood wasn't as upset as he would have expected to be. And when he also sensed the two painfully familiar presences of Zero and Ichiru in the house, that disappointment seemed to have simply...disappeared altogether, only to be replaced with renewed expectation and...

A slight frown of concern and puzzlement marred Kaname's features as he made his way towards the kitchen, where he, as expected, found the older Kiryuu twin.

Zero was busy cooking. Which was a rather nostalgic picture for the pureblood, and one that he hadn't had the chance to witness for a while. He almost forgot how...calming, for some inexplicable reason, it was to watch the boy go about his chosen tasks, with unconscious grace and practiced ease, air of quiet tranquility around him. This time though...it wasn't quite there, at least not fully. It was evident that the silver-haired boy was troubled by something, even though it didn't show on the surface – his expression seemed rather calm, from what Kaname could see.

The brunet's frown deepened a little as he stood in the doorway, watching Zero silently, puzzled as to what had happened to disturb the older Kiryuu so. And now that he noticed... He was also perplexed by the absence of another twin, who, according to the pureblood's sharp senses, was currently occupying the boys' bedroom, which wasn't so close to the kitchen. It was more than unusual for Zero to be alone when his brother was wide awake – and Kaname could tell for sure he _was –_ and anywhere in the vicinity. So it was no big wonder why the pureblood was, to say the least, a bit confused.

And a little disturbed, especially by the fact that the boy still didn't seem to have sensed him. Kaname was suppressing his aura again, habitually, yes, but it never prevented Zero from detecting his presence. The brunet couldn't help wondering what in the world...

"Zero-kun..." the pureblood spoke after a few more seconds of observing the silver-haired boy.

The older Kiryuu gave a small start at the sudden sound of still familiar voice, his movements stopping, and his head snapping up from the big bowl and the mixture he had been whisking there less than a moment ago. Surprise was evident in amethyst eyes when they met with burgundy ones, and for another short while that felt so much longer than it really was, it got quiet again and everything stilled. But soon the silence was broken again, by Zero this time around.

"Kaname...?" the boy asked, disbelief seeping into his tone.

The brunet couldn't help but smile lightly at the other's expression. A soft chuckle fell from his lips as he spoke, "Good evening, Zero-kun. It has been a while." Kaname stepped into the room fully and made his way towards the table, his hand was already on the back of one of the chairs, ready to pull it out for himself when he stopped and turned his attention to the younger boy once more to ask, "Do you mind if I join you?"

The response he received was a light shrug followed by a shake of the head. So, with another quiet chuckle escaping him, Kaname proceeded to sit down behind the table.

For a few moments, neither said a word, and Zero slowly returned to his task while the young pureblood watched his every motion. The boy had indeed grown, Kaname thought. He looked a bit taller, and somewhat more mature as well, although neither of the twins had ever been childish. But a part of the small hunter did seem to have changed to some extent, even his aura felt slightly different...

"How have you been, Zero-kun?" the brunet finally asked, lifting his gaze to look at the other's face. "How is Ichiru-kun?"

"Fine... We both are," the boy answered, not averting his attention from his current work. But his lavender orbs still found Kaname's garnet ones after a couple of seconds, curiosity dancing in them as Zero inquired, "Where have _you _been all this time? Yuuki really missed you, you know."

"Oh? Only Yuuki? And here I hoped you did too..." Kaname couldn't help but tease lightly, a shadow of an uncharacteristically sly smile appearing on his face as he gave the younger boy a pointed look. Zero's eyes widened comically at the brunet's last comment, his pale cheeks turning a light pink. The next second he recovered, but the pureblood still had managed to catch that small slip, and the corners of his lips went further up in amusement and, secretly, surprised joy at such an adorable reaction.

"Stupid pureblood..." Zero mumbled almost inaudibly. Was it actually a pout Kaname thought he heard in his tone? "You're too full of yourself." Yep, it definitely was. How unusual.

The pureblood failed to suppress another small chuckle, thus causing that up to now invisible pout to become more apparent on the boy's face.

"Is that so?"

He didn't receive any response, not even a nod, and Zero's attention didn't stray from his task, but the whisking the little hunter was currently performing positively got more vigorous.

Silence lingered around the room for another short while, during which Kaname's smile still refused to fade. It did only when he took a closer look at Zero.

First he thought it was just his imagination. Not only because the slight reddening of lilac hues was barely noticeable, but also due to the fact that Kaname couldn't think of anything that would cause the boy to...

Again, the brunet felt his chest tighten uncomfortably. But he ignored it this time around as well, the only thing showing that he was somehow affected was a faint frown of concern that had made its way on the pureblood's features briefly.

"Oh, that's right, you-" Zero started, his eyes shifting to Kaname once more, but he stopped mid-sentence, caught off guard to find the brunet's intent gaze on him. His movements ceased entirely, the hunter blinked confusedly before inquiring curiously, "What is it?"

"...No...it's nothing." Kaname closed his eyes for a moment, clearing his throat lightly, "I apologize."

Zero cast him a puzzled glance, and the pureblood continued, a small smile coming across his features, "What was it you wanted to ask me, Zero-kun?"

One light brow going up, the silver-haired boy stayed silent for a few seconds, before deciding to let it go and shrugging gently, "Do you want some tea or something?"

"Oh... Sure. A cup of tea would be great."

Zero gave a nod, then proceeded to make the brunet his drink of choice. Fragrance of caramel floated through the room after a minute, and Kaname inhaled unconsciously, a soft smile pulling the corners of his lips upwards.

Ah, he remembered that wonderful scent. And sometimes he could still recall the texture he had felt on his tongue the first time he had tried that drink. Oddly, it would be only the second time he would get to have caramel tea since their first encounter with the boy a few years back. It surely brought memories...

Kaname blinked. Then his gaze shifted to the little hunter standing at the counter, and he took in another deep breath, now paying more careful attention to the unfamiliar aroma lingering over the younger boy faintly. It was...unusual. And Kaname was certain he had smelled it in the past, but it definitely hadn't been a part of the older Kiryuu's scent before. The brunet raked through his brain, trying to pinpoint what that peculiar fragrance was, but came up with nothing. Which only served to pique his curiosity further, but he let it be, clueless as to how he should go and ask about it.

A cup and saucer along with a teaspoon were placed before him, and Kaname was hit with yet another sense of nostalgia.

His bewilderment momentarily forgotten, the pureblood let another genuine smile grace his features as he took the offered drink and, having enjoyed its fragrance some more, brought the cup to his lips and took a small sip, a sigh of appreciation leaving him a few seconds after. It tasted even better than Kaname remembered. And moreover...

"You noticed," the brunet murmured, burgundy orbs softening.

"Huh?" Zero turned to the older boy while his hands resumed working on his task once again, "What do you mean?"

"No, nothing," Kaname gave the boy another gentle smile, receiving another arch of an eyebrow in response. But Zero didn't inquire further, and both returned to what they were doing, companionable silence settling over the room.

"What are you making this time?" Kaname asked after a few minutes, soft expression still on his face.

"A pie. Well, I'm trying to," the hunter paused briefly, his gaze turning to the pureblood and a warm smile coming to his lips, "It's a new recipe. Ichiru wanted to try it, so..."

"I see..." And now that the younger twin was mentioned... "Ichiru-kun is..." but he stopped before he could finish his question, thinking better of it and voicing another one instead, "How has he been?"

"Like usual," Zero shrugged, "He has been alright."

"Good," the pureblood nodded, his eyes dropping to the cup in his hand. He could feel the younger boy's curious gaze on him, but didn't react to it and resumed drinking his tea.

On his part, Zero simply gave another shrug, and proceeded to cook. Not the most manly pastime in the world, he guessed, but he liked doing it, and it really calmed him down, which the boy definitely needed after this day and its events.

That and a bit of space. Which he was, thankfully, given. By both Ichiru and Cross. As always, his brother had felt and understood his mood, and had been quick to provide him with what he needed after giving him a warm, comforting hug upon his return from the cemetery. And as for the blond ex-hunter, he once again surprised Zero with his sensitivity and mindfulness, for he had yet to bother the boy with his usual childish act and strange antics, which everyone was used to and tended to expect from the man.

And for that the older Kiryuu was truly thankful. To either individuals. And to...

To Kaname as well. It was actually surprising how...comforting the pureblood's presence turned out to be – even more so than it used to be, and at such moments too...

Unconsciously, the corners of Zero's lips went upwards. And unlike Kaname, the silver-haired boy failed to notice it. But the pureblood refrained from commenting on it. Dark eyelashes fluttering gently as they lowered, Kaname hid his soft smile as he finished his drink and then put the now empty cup down.

"Do you want another one?" Zero asked after some time, and Kaname looked up at him. His gaze was slightly puzzled at first, but it cleared in understanding after a moment, when the young hunter gave his cup a meaningful look.

"Oh..." the brunet breathed out in realization. His smile widening slightly, Kaname replied, "Of course, I would love to."

**-o- **

A soft call of his name broke the silence of the room gently, and Ichiru's head snapped up sharply, his unseeing eyes clearing as they focused on the source of the familiar voice of his most precious person. Smiling softly, if only a bit nervously, the younger boy closed the book he had been holding in his hands for the last few hours but hadn't been actually reading this whole period of time. He just couldn't, for it was simply impossible to concentrate. All this while he couldn't help thinking about his other half and what was going through his mind, and ultimately, what the..._outcome_ of Zero's earlier _visit _would be...

He admitted, he was apprehensive. And that was another reason why he gave his twin his alone time, why he hadn't disturbed him or even spoken to him, save for the greetings and a few words they had exchanged upon Zero's arrival from his...journey.

But at this very moment, from merely seeing the expression on his brother's face, the anxiety he had been experiencing the whole day evaporated. And his heart that had started racing the moment his counterpart's quiet voice reached him calmed down. It felt like a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders, and unconsciously, Ichiru breathed an inaudible sigh of relief.

It didn't go unnoticed by Zero and he gave the younger boy a reassuring smile before speaking again, "Dinner is ready. Let's go."

Ichiru's reply was an evidently happy and enthusiastic nod. He got up quickly and went to his twin's side, then gave him a tight hug that Zero returned. They stayed like that for a few long moments, the younger boy's face buried in the crook of his other half's neck as he inhaled his brother's scent deeply before pulling back and taking a hold of the older boy's hand, at first a little nervously, and then with renewed confidence. Ichiru's smile widening a little more, he tugged his twin after himself and they left their room, now headed for the kitchen.

But the younger boy's good mood didn't stay with him for long, because as soon as they reached their destination, he found there the one person he definitely didn't want to see, especially anywhere near his twin.

"The hell are _you _doing here?" Ichiru asked harshly, clearly annoyed. Why did he have a feeling that it wasn't just a few minutes back that this pureblood had entered the house, but more than a couple of hours ago...? And he hadn't even noticed, too wrapped up in his musings. Which probably meant that... _Damn..._

Hearing the younger Kiryuu's exasperated tone made Kaname sigh inaudibly in resignation. Now why wasn't he surprised...?

"Good evening to you too, Ichiru-kun. It's a pleasure to see you, as always."

"Yeah, right." Ichiru scoffed, taking a seat in front of the brunet. "Answer the damn question."

Well, it looked like the boy's vocabulary of profanities had expanded by at least one more word during his absence. Briefly, Kaname wondered what more the younger Kiryuu could have in stock and whether it had affected his dear Yuuki after all.

But he left the matter for now, and another sigh escaped him before he replied, "I merely came here for a visit. It has been a while after all."

"In case you _still_ haven't noticed, Yuuki is not here, you know."

Kaname blinked, "I have noticed."

"Then _why _are you _still _here?"

The pureblood was quiet for a few seconds, looking at the younger boy calmly. Then a slyly pleasant smile came over his features slowly, "Am I not allowed to? Or are you not glad to see me? Even after all this time?" He decided to try teasing the other slightly.

One unimpressed silver eyebrow rose. "No, I'm not."

"How cold... You hurt my feelings, Ichiru-kun."

All he received in response was an irritated huff, and Kaname failed to stifle an amused chuckle that fell from his lips at that. And he wasn't alone in reacting like that, for his ears had certainly caught the similar sound escaping the older Kiryuu who stood at the counter not far from them.

"Zero!" Ah, apparently Ichiru had heard it as well, judging by that whine of his twin's name and the embarrassed blush that appeared on the younger boy's cheeks. Which evoked another chuckle from Zero that was responded with... Was it actually a _pout _Kaname saw on Ichiru's face?

The brunet blinked in amused disbelief.

"Kaname, where's uncle Cross?" Zero's voice came as the boy placed the plates with their dinner on the table.

"He is asleep," the pureblood answered as he unwittingly followed the motions of the older twin's hands, one of which went to pat Ichiru's head softly in a casual manner. And any frown that was present on the boy's face disappeared in an instant as if it wasn't even there in the first place. From what Kaname could see, it was safe to say that Ichiru looked perfectly content now.

Again, just like a year and a half prior, the brunet couldn't help the wonder he felt at seeing how fast the younger Kiryuu's mood and expression visibly changed when it came to his brother.

"I thought it would be better not to bother him," Kaname continued distractedly. "He seemed rather tired when we spoke."

Zero gave a nod and a quiet hum in response. Then he proceeded to sit down next to his twin and the three started eating.

Another small smile made its way on the pureblood's lips after he took the first bite, his eyes softening and that nostalgic, longed-for warmth returning into his chest.

"How is it?"

Kaname looked up, and was met with the older twin's uncharacteristically hesitant, nervous gaze that shifted from him to Ichiru and back. Distracted by his thoughts, the brunet didn't quite comprehend what the question was about at first, until the younger Kiryuu gave his reply, complimenting the pie they were eating.

_'Oh,' _the brunet's eyes widened a fraction in realization. Of course.

"It's delicious, Zero-kun. I'm really enjoying it." Kaname said, smiling gently.

Relief was evident in the older twin's features, and he nodded contently, the faint frown his brows had been creased into disappearing, and the corners of his lips going up as well as he returned to his meal.

"Could have been even better without you here though," Ichiru mumbled sourly under his breath, loud enough for Kaname to catch it. Which was, quite obviously, the younger boy's exact intention.

"Ichiru..." Zero sighed, his tone scolding. But he failed to rid it of indulgence and natural fondness for his counterpart.

"You're so cruel, Ichiru-kun," Kaname feigned a hurt look – and a very convincing one, mind you – as he regarded the younger twin. "And here I hoped you missed me as well..."

"Yeah, right. Like hell I would," Ichiru snorted, silently cursing the pureblood in his head.

"You always shatter all my hopes so mercilessly." Kaname could barely suppress the smirk that was _begging _to let it come across his twitching in amusement lips by now. The boy's expression was _that_ priceless. But Kaname guessed he was being a bit mean himself. Ah well, who could blame him?

"Now now..." the brunet started when he heard a string of curses muttered in his address, "That is just rude." And yet that smirk had already crept onto his face before he even realized it.

"Go to hell, you stupid pureblood." Ichiru threw at the other, now positively sulking.

In response to which Kaname only chuckled quietly and Zero heaved a sigh, before pulling his twin into a comforting embrace and patting his head once more, then giving the brunet vampire a reproachful look with poorly hidden traces of amusement in it.

The pureblood watched the two, not at all surprised when after only a few seconds Ichiru's mood and aura not so unexpectedly brightened, and the boy seemed rather content again. Kaname didn't notice how his smile faltered, and ignored another slight pang he felt. His gaze lowering to his plate, the young pureblood resumed eating quietly, refusing to look up.

Unconsciously, Kaname's hand went to his chest and he rubbed at it absently. He couldn't help wondering what that unpleasant feeling he was experiencing was. But no matter how hard he thought about it, no answer came to his mind. And so, once again, he left something else be. And, unsuspecting, he proceeded to enjoy the evening, ignoring the creeping uneasiness a part of him started to feel.


	5. Frozen Dawn

_**A/N: **__And here is the next chapter. A little later than I had hoped, but not so much. I'm still sorry for the wait though. Both for this time and for the next one, as the stupid RL is holding me hostage. I still haven't finished a whole bunch of my assignments and there are more of them already piling up, not to mention the fact that the finals are getting terribly close. And for that reason, I definitely won't be able to update for about a few weeks or so. For which I'm truly sorry *bows low* _

_Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and adds! I love and cherish every one of them, because they always inspire me and push me to do more and better *nods* _

_Disclaimer and everything else remain. Please enjoy! :D _

**Chapter 5: Frozen Dawn**

It wasn't until a certain event that took place some while later that Kaname finally realized. Or began to realize, at the very least. And quite frankly, he couldn't believe it.

It came as a shock, and naturally, the first thing he felt after that so-called revelation were serious and quite reasonable doubts. Then he started doubting those same doubts of his, and in the end, concluded that such a thing _was _possible, no matter how unwilling he was to admit and accept it. Then it was turn of the denial to make an appearance. And denied it the pureblood did. Silently but vehemently, that was for sure.

But he failed. After a long period of time and a lot of efforts. So the next thing that came was... well, something akin to acceptance, maybe. Although tiny bits of doubts and denial still lingered within him, useless and meaningless as they were.

What he couldn't comprehend for the life of him though… How did it happen? When…? And more importantly…_why_? When he already had Yuuki and certainly didn't need anyone anymore… Or so he always thought. _Why _on earth would his heart he had been sure he held in check play such a trick on him? Why would it want to throw him off balance like that? When…when did it start…? And what was he supposed to do from now on…?

Of course, it wasn't like his original plans had been ruined or anything, but… Something just didn't quite feel right. It wasn't the same as before anymore. Something in _him_, in his very being, seemed to have changed a bit, and it kept changing further, little by little, imperceptibly, so that when he would finally take notice of what was happening, it would be too late to go back. It distracted him and made him falter. He didn't know what he should do about it, or what reaction was expected of him at that. It was the first time in his life that something so…unforeseen, uncalled for occurred. And in all honesty, he was at a loss. Completely so.

Kaname loathed feeling like that, _being _like that. These emotions were…too foreign, too unpredictable. Not to mention the fact that they were absolutely undesired. The pureblood wanted them out of his soul, he wished to get rid of them, but it seemed like there was nothing he could do to make it happen. That, and he had no idea what he _should _do to achieve that goal. And to tell the truth… He also wasn't so certain whether he really wanted those feelings to disappear altogether or not.

The only thing he knew for sure, however, was… He should have noticed everything sooner. Much, much sooner. Had he understood earlier… Maybe it wouldn't have been too late to prevent it from happening. And then everything would have been so much easier for him now…

A weary sigh fell from Kaname's lips, his eyes closing as he lifted his hand and let his fingers run through his tousled from sleep hair. No longer than a second later, another sigh, this one somewhat irritated, followed, and the brunet shifted his arm so that it was placed over his shut eyes.

The images from that one evening were still vivid in his mind. And they wouldn't go away no matter what he tried to erase them with.

He was a fool. He shouldn't have stayed, he shouldn't have gone there, and he sure as hell shouldn't have just remained standing by that door, very much guessing what had been about to occur. But something compelled him to do the opposite. His curiosity got the better of him, and it backfired splendidly. So he had no one to blame but himself.

A small, humorless smile tugged the corners of the pureblood's lips upwards, a derisive chuckle escaping him as one particular event of that night a little over two weeks ago played out before his covered eyes once more…

_Finally, it seemed like his dear girl was getting better. Her fever had dropped some, and she did look much better now in comparison to the state she had been in when the pureblood just arrived. So it was needless to say how unimaginably relieved Kaname was at the moment._

_He had been worried sick after receiving Cross's sudden call. And naturally, even before their conversation was fully over, the brunet was already out of the Ichijou manor – with hardly anyone there actually noticing his actions, to the young pureblood's credit – and on his way to the ex-hunter's house. He had run instead of taking the car like he usually did – It was faster that way, due to his inhuman speed that barely knew limits. Besides, Kaname seriously doubted he could have taken waiting for the chauffer to prepare everything for the trip and then just sit calmly in the vehicle doing nothing, so his choice of the way of transportation wasn't' so surprising._

_It wasn't long before he arrived at his destination, having used an unthinkable speed to get there yet not even breaking a sweat in the process. Straight away, the brunet went to his precious girl's room to see for himself how she was doing, all the while ignoring Cross's surprise and worry without a second thought – Yuuki being the only thing occupying his mind at the time._

_Admittedly, he had been blinded by panic during those moments, but it started evaporating soon enough, for thankfully, the situation wasn't as bad as he had originally thought. And it looked like his presence was helping too, so Kaname stayed, for as long as Yuuki wanted him to._

_A few hours had passed by now, and the brunet girl continued drifting between sleep and consciousness during that whole period of time. But the pureblood could tell her condition had improved, even if just a little, and it brought an immense amount of absolute relief to him. Although, of course, he was still a bit agitated and definitely worried for his dear Yuuki._

_Thus, he was still here, at Cross's living quarters, currently going down the hallway back to his precious girl's room from the kitchen with a glass of water in his hand for her. And Kaname would have proceeded going his merry way as he was, if it wasn't for the soft, all too familiar voice that suddenly caught his attention, sounding to be not so far away from where he was._

_"Come on, Ichiru," it spoke, gently scolding, an indulgent smile apparent in it, "Keep still, or I won't be able to finish at this rate…"_

_It was answered with a barely audible whine, half-hearted at best, soon followed by a light-heartedly sulky 'Fine, fine…' and as expected, Kaname easily recognized the voice and its tone as the younger Kiryuu twin, indeed. Then there came the rustling of a fabric, along with some sort of rubbing sounds. And judging by the subtle scent of soap and shampoo coming from the twins' room, the pureblood guessed what he heard was Zero drying his brother's hair with a towel. And sure enough, his assumption was proven right when he came to stand near the partly open door._

_There, on the bed were sitting two identical figures, probably getting ready to go to sleep if them wearing their night attire was anything to go by. Ichiru's back was to Zero as the older boy's hands worked gently on toweling his counterpart's hair._

_Kaname stood unmoving, watching yet another moment of the shared intimacy between the two boys attentively for a few long moments, before averting his gaze unwittingly, suddenly finding the forgotten glass in his hand to be the most interesting thing in the world. The pureblood was more than used to seeing such displays of mutual trust and affection from the silver-haired twins by now, after all these years that had passed, and he had already learned to simply accept it, but the uncomfortable, unpleasant feeling he got each time seeing such sights was another matter altogether. No matter how accustomed he was to experiencing it, Kaname still had trouble dealing with it, and even more so with comprehending what it was exactly. Although something told him that, perhaps, it was for the better. So the brunet let it be – something he had been doing for quite a long period of time already._

_He had wanted to greet the two, as they hadn't met tonight yet, despite the fact that the pureblood had spent the last three or so hours in the house. However, right now any thought of it left him, as it seemed like such an action would be nothing more than an interruption. So Kaname remained where he was, currently contemplating walking away and wondering why he still hadn't done so._

_Unsurprisingly, the brunet vampire came up with no answer. And after staying in place for another short while, he made up his mind and already began moving away from the silver-haired boys' room when that same voice that had made him stray from his original destination stopped him in his tracks once more. Involuntarily, the pureblood's garnet eyes focused on the younger individuals anew._

_"Your hair has grown some more again…" Kaname heard Zero say absent-mindedly to his brother, "Do you want to get it cut soon?"_

_Ichiru hummed softly, raising his hand and taking a hold of a few silver strands, letting his fingers play with it distractedly before coming up with a verbal reply for his counterpart, "Nah, it's still fine. It's not much of a nuisance yet."_

_"Okay," the older Kiryuu replied, smiling softly and resuming his task of drying the other's hair carefully. "But if it gets any longer, it'll be all the easier for everyone to tell us apart, you know. For the teachers too." A twinkle of mischievousness flashed through the older twin's eyes while the younger one emitted a long-suffering groan, his head rolling back and falling onto his brother's shoulder. "Which will put an end to you skipping some classes and getting away with it, Ichiru."_

_The younger boy gave a slight shrug, "Whatever. It's their fault for being idiots and confusing us in the first place. You won't make me feel remorse for deceiving them."_

_"I know," Zero chuckled lightly. "And I'm not trying to."_

_The older boy resumed his actions when the weight of Ichiru's head on his shoulder disappeared, and the two lapsed into comfortable silence once more. But soon enough it was broken, by the younger Kiryuu this time._

_"…One girl confessed to me today," the boy blurted out, matter-of-factly, and Kaname's eyes widened a fraction in slight surprise. Well, that was some sudden statement. But not to Zero, it seemed, as the older hunter's weak reaction suggested._

_"Oh?" Was all he said, never stopping the movements of his fingers._

_"But I rejected her."_

_"Again? Really, Ichiru, how many does that make now? You didn't make this one cry, I hope?" Kaname raised an eyebrow at the boy's words, now understanding his previous lack of response._

_"She was too persistent. And too annoying."_

_"You say it about every one of them," the older Kiryuu replied, his tone scolding. Then a tired sigh fell from his lips._

_"Well, this one was worse," Ichiru mumbled to himself, but of course, Zero caught it._

_"How so?"_

_"…She thought I was you." At that, Zero halted in his actions momentarily. But he recovered in no time, and soon proceeded with his self-appointed task._

_"Oh… Is that so…" Kaname was positive he had heard some uneasiness in the older twin's voice, although, admittedly, it had been masked rather well._

_"Mm," Ichiru nodded slowly. "And I didn't try to correct her mistake," the younger Kiryuu paused briefly to let out a huff of annoyance, "What an idiot."_

_"Ichiru…" Another sigh, this one resigned, sounded from Zero when his brother didn't respond in any way and simply remained silent. Now done with tending to his twin's hair, the older hunter put the towel aside while Ichiru leaned back and made himself comfortable against his chest, the younger boy's head already reclaimed its place on his shoulder. __Zero's arms automatically encircling his brother's middle, he heaved another sigh._

_"You should apologize to her," the older twin said, his tone gentle but unyielding. A half-whine half-groan sounded from his counterpart, and Zero added, now more firmly, "I mean it, Ichiru."_

_"Ugh…" the younger Kiryuu grunted in obvious discontent at the prospect, and turned slightly in his other half's embrace, his face burying into the crook of the older boy's neck. Unconsciously, he sniffed the smooth skin there, then nuzzled it lazily, affectionately, before letting out a soft sigh and stealing a languid lick at the familiarly-tasting warm surface._

_"Ichiru…" Zero uttered the name warningly. He refused to let his brother brush this one off._

_Another sigh, resigned this time. Then the younger boy spoke, "Okay, I got it. I'll do it." His gaze shifted to his twin's face, "Happy now?"_

_A smile made its way on Zero's lips. Giving a small nod, he patted Ichiru's head, a soft hum of content escaping him. _

_"That's right, Ichiru…" the older of the two spoke again after a couple of minutes of silence, "I'm going to visit them in a few days again and… Um…" Kaname raised an elegant eyebrow at how unusually uncertain Zero's voice became, "Do you…want to… I mean, would y-"_

_"No." Ichiru replied, cutting his brother off and pulling away from the older boy wordlessly. At that, the brunet's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He had never heard Ichiru use such a cold tone when speaking to Zero. Although the younger twin didn't maintain it for long, as expected. The next second the boy turned around to face his counterpart, meeting the other's eyes apologetically, guilt flickering in his amethyst orbs momentarily, "I…I'm sorry, nii-san, but…I…" Ichiru trailed off, his gaze dropping._

_It was quiet for another few moments, until Zero let out a soft sigh, then his voice sounded again, a weak smile evident in it, "It's okay," pale hand went to pat silver hair gently, "I understand, really. Don't worry about it, Ichiru."_

_The younger boy nodded quietly, lavender eyes still lowered. Then slowly, he moved forward and enclosed his counterpart in a hug, fitting his head into the crook of Zero's neck snugly once more and exhaling another contented sigh. Automatically, the older Kiryuu's hands settled on Ichiru's back, and he began patting it comfortingly. They stayed like that for some time, during which none spoke a word. Only when the younger twin's agitation – which Kaname couldn't help but take note of – evaporated some, did the boy's quiet voice sound again._

_"Listen, Zero…" Ichiru started, somewhat distractedly and a tad hesitantly._

_"Hm?"_

_"I…I'm sorry."_

_"I know. And I already said it's okay, didn't I?" Zero replied, smiling faintly. "Don't worry about it."_

_"No, it's not that, I mean…" the boy paused, drawing a long, shaky breath, "I am _sorry_." His hold on his brother tightened while Zero's hand stopped its caressing motions, now frozen in place on Ichiru's almost imperceptibly stiffened back._

_A small frown appeared on the pureblood's features as he watched the scene unfold before him. He had never heard the younger Kiryuu use that kind of tone, or behave that way… He couldn't help but wonder what the two were…_

_"…I know…" Zero's whispered voice sounded, tearing Kaname from his thoughts once more. The boy resumed caressing his twin's back slowly, if only a bit stiffly at first. "I know…" he repeated, even more quietly._

_Ichiru took a deep breath, further burying his face into Zero's neck. He continued inhaling his twin's familiar, comforting scent, unconsciously relaxing into the embrace more. But along with calmness came another reaction, one that the younger Kiryuu had by now gotten more than accustomed to. His heart rate quickened, that well-known burning of thirst returned, and Ichiru nuzzled his counterpart's throat, his arms tightening their hold involuntarily as he brought the warm body before him closer._

_"Ichiru..." Zero whispered, having obviously recognized the signs, more than used to them after so much time. He didn't push his brother away, the thought of it hardly even crossed his mind, but the doubt in his voice was detectable nevertheless. "Wait, Kaname is-" the said brunet's heart leaped in his chest at the utterance of his name. For a second there, he thought he had been found, even though he had made sure to conceal his presence properly, the best he could, which usually worked even with Zero and his exceptionally sharp hunter senses. But as the older Kiryuu continued, the pureblood realized he was worrying for nothing, to his greatest relief, "He will-"_

_"Smell the blood?" Having received an uncertain nod, Ichiru resumed speaking, "It's okay, he's with Yuuki. And he won't care either way. It's not like it's any of his business."_

_'Indeed…' Kaname thought belatedly. But even if his mind was saying that and actually agreeing with the younger twin, something inside of him screamed in protest. And that unpleasant, nameless feeling was back again. The young pureblood resisted the urge to rub at his chest._

_"Right?" Ichiru's inquiry pulled Kaname's attention back to the two in the room. Zero answered to his twin's question with another hesitant nod, and the brunet vampire couldn't help but feel a slight pang in his chest at that response, no matter how true it was._

_A smile tugged the corners of the younger Kiryuu's lips upwards, and without wasting any more time, he returned his undivided attention to the pale column in front of his eyes that were slowly changing from lilac to hungry red. Giving a few experimental licks, Ichiru began preparing the skin, against which Zero didn't protest. On the contrary, without an ounce of second thought, he tilted his head to the side, allowing his counterpart a more easy access to his neck. For which the younger twin was thankful, and he accepted the invitation accordingly._

_As though entranced, Kaname looked on silently, never averting his gaze or even blinking as he watched the scene. He was simply unable to._

_And then he froze, paralyzed by the two burning orbs that locked with his garnet ones all of a sudden. His eyes widened as they continued to stare at him dead on, unwavering and taunting. The corners of Ichiru's mouth went up slowly, forming a mocking smirk that lingered on the boy's features for no longer than a fraction of a second, before disappearing as the pale pink lips parted and drew back to bare the rapidly extending canines. Crimson eyes that had stayed on him only for a couple of seconds slid shut as their owner lowered his head and lost himself in the red liquid that filled his mouth when his fully aroused fangs pierced the slender throat of his willing donor hungrily._

_A cold, unpleasant shiver ran down Kaname's spine at the muffled groan of content that sounded from the younger twin the moment he performed the act. Then the brunet's already rigid form stiffened further as the heady aroma of Zero's blood reached his senses and began teasing it mercilessly. Red sharpened his vision for a split second, enhancing his awareness of everything around him. _

_For another short while that seemed to be so much longer than it really was, Kaname remained where he was, his attention completely captured by the picture the two boys made. __Which, for some reason, he didn't like to have in front of his eyes at all…_

_The next thing he knew, everything became a blur. And he was out of the house and running into the night. Belatedly, the pureblood noticed the slight stinging in his hand and caught the scent of his own blood. He didn't need to inspect it to know what was the cause, as he could feel the water on his skin along with tiny shards of glass imbedded in it, so it wasn't so hard to guess. _

_But he ignored his self-inflicted – albeit unwittingly – injury, well aware of the fact that it would disappear in less than a couple of moments due to his pureblood healing. Never stopping or looking back, the brunet vampire continued his sprint, seeing and remembering of nothing but the last image he had caught of the silver-haired twins._

_Only after another minute or so, slowly, Kaname came to a halt. His form stiff and burgundy eyes widened in what appeared to be bewilderment and disbelief, gaze cast down, staring at the ground unseeingly. _

_It was only now that realization dawned on him…_

_And he couldn't believe what a fool he was._

**-o-**

It had been bugging her for a long while now. She was curious to know what was going on, but at the same time, she had an unpleasant feeling that if she were to find out the truth, she wouldn't like it. So in spite of the fact that she really did want to receive answers to her unvoiced questions, in reality, she was apprehensive of getting them. She had asked once, when it occurred the first time – and probably exactly when it began. But it led nowhere, like a few other times. So eventually, she had stopped asking her inquiries altogether, having realized that it was pointless anyway.

Nevertheless, she couldn't help wondering about it. And all kinds of wild thoughts and impossible theories came to her curious, young thirteen-year old mind, thus intriguing and scaring her out of finding the truth all the more. But she was still worried… What if her favorite adopted brother was being bullied? Or worse, hurting himself? She had heard of such…cases. What if something was wrong? Did the others know about the cause? Cross and Ichiru…and maybe even her Kaname-sama?

At least that was what immediately came to mind when the said pureblood kept staring so intently at the bandages that were, yet again, wrapped around Zero's neck. They had become something of a regular occurrence by now. And it certainly wasn't the first time the pureblood saw them, too. So, taking it into account, it was even harder not to notice how the older brunet's eyes were practically glued to those bandages, and had been for the past minute or so – the girl doubted he had even heard what she had been saying, judging by how focused he was on the silver-haired boy's nape.

Why was the brunet vampire so interested in those bandages? Did it mean that he knew the reason why they were there, and it was something bad? Something to be concerned about? The look that appeared in his eyes, the one that Yuuki couldn't quite understand or process yet, surely suggested so…

What…what was happening…?

"A school?" Ichiru's voice sounded, unhappy as ever, distracting the auburn-haired girl from her far from positive thoughts. Having received a nod and an affirmative hum from the one he was talking to, the younger twin continued, "For _vampires_?"

"_And _humans. For co-existence," Cross replied, cheerful and happy as ever. Excitement was almost literally oozing from him, obviously making the younger twin's already grumpy enough – due to early hours – mood all the worse.

Ichiru raised an eyebrow while Zero resumed his task, still not turning from the chopping board and their soon-to-be breakfast. "And it's relevant because…?" He knew the answer to his question and had already guessed where the blond man was going with it for the most part, but it was too early for his liking and so he was being a bit cranky. Or not so a bit. But he knew Zero would stop him when he thought he was getting overboard, so it was alright. Ah, he loved being spoiled by his dear brother.

"Ah, come on, Ichirun," the younger Kiryuu's brow twitched at that…_nickname_-likething Cross _loved _calling him. And his twin too, with his own version of it. "You already know what I'm going to ask, don't you?"

Of course he did. He wasn't stupid. And he already knew some of Cross's antics and methods too well. Still, his answer was a blunt, "No."

In response to which the ex-hunter, ever the Drama Queen, gave him another one of his kicked-puppy looks, full with sad eyes and crocodile tears – the whole package, in other words. Too bad for the man, it didn't work on Ichiru – or on either of those currently present in the room. Fleetingly, the younger Kiryuu wondered if it _ever _worked on _anyone _at all.

"You're such a bully, Ichirun," he fake-wiped non-existent tears, "treating your daddy so coldly."

One unimpressed silver eyebrow rose on Ichiru's side, while Zero suppressed a chuckle, glad that he wasn't a part of that conversation due to being busy with cooking, and Kaname hid an amused smirk.

Having received nothing but silence from the younger boy, Cross continued, miraculously recovered and impossibly cheery again, all of a sudden, "Anyway. I'd like you all to go there when you're older. How do you look at it?" Ichiru opened his mouth to retort, but the ex-hunter beat him to it with his excited ramble, "Oh, it will be wonderful! I can't wait to see that happen! I can already imagine how the uniform will look like, and it'll suit you all so well! I also plan to make you three the prefects and…"

At that point Ichiru simply drowned out the man's voice, having realized that all and any arguments he had were pretty much pointless, as they would fall on deaf ears – it was Cross after all.

A long-suffering sigh fell from the younger Kiryuu's lips. He was already exhausted. From merely talking to that blond _wonder _for a little over ten minutes. He should have just stayed in bed. Why had he even bothered to get up? Oh yeah, that same _wonder _was the one who had woken him up and then dragged him into the kitchen for their 'family breakfast'.

Yeah, right, _'family'_. Then why the hell was _he _here with them?

Ichiru's gaze slid to Kaname at that thought, his irritation increasing, especially so when he caught where the pureblood's gaze was directed to.

"And why are _you _here? At _this _hour?" the younger twin spoke to the male brunet, having already forgotten and dismissed Cross along with their still seemingly on-going – at least from the ex-hunter's side – conversation. There was a pitiful whine of his name somewhere in the background that suspiciously sounded like the said blond man, but Ichiru easily ignored it, his attention now on Kaname.

"I came for breakfast, of course," the brunet replied, unfazed, appearing calm and collected as ever, a polite smile on his face.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping in your coffin or something?" Yuuki's angry exclamation of his name was disregarded by the younger Kiryuu.

"Oh, I'm afraid I don't have one," Kaname's smile widened a bit as he turned his gaze to the older twin, whose amethyst eyes were also on him at the moment, "And I just couldn't pass the opportunity to have some of Zero-kun's cooking, now could I?" He caught a hint of a soft smile before the hunter went back to his task, and his heart skipped a beat, pleasant warmth spreading in his chest. The pureblood returned his attention to Ichiru, a little flustered – oddly – but concealing it rather well. He was really grateful that he had mastered the skills of hiding his emotions to perfection. "Besides, I had some business to discuss with Cross-san."

"_'Business'_?" the silver-haired boy turned to the ex-hunter, who sat near him with a goofy grin plastered on his face, his gaze skeptical, "With _him_?" 'With _that_?' was what Ichiru actually wanted to say, but he refrained from doing it, lest they would have to put up with another portion of the man's wailing.

"What's with that disbelieving tone, Ichirun?" Cross pouted, "Like you don't have faith in me..." he trailed off sulkily.

"I don't."

"_Ichiruuuuun_!"

"Zero and Yuuki too," the younger twin added matter-of-factly. And the two mentioned teens didn't rush to protest or correct him.

"How cruel…" the blond man feigned sobbing dramatically before turning to the brunet vampire, "Did you hear that, Kaname-kun? My very own cute children don't love their poor father in the slightest… Ah, what have I done to deserve such a terrible fate?"

The pureblood gave him a polite smile, replying a little uneasily, "I am certain that is not true. Of course Ichiru-kun didn't mean what he said…"

"I sure as hell did."

"Of course he didn't!" here it was Yuuki's turn to jump in. It kind of became her job to reassure – and fool – the old man when it became like this. Which was often since Cross did have a tendency to get rather annoying. "Ichiru is just being a jerk because it's morning and he is cranky. We all love you very much!" When the ex-hunter's puppy-eyed look still stayed on her with clear expectancy in it, she had no choice but to continue, "D-…daddy…" she mumbled in a much quieter voice, a small blush on her cheeks.

Which evoked a delighted squeal from Cross and an amused chuckle from Kaname, while the two silver-haired boys chose to remain silent and stay out of it. But only one of them was allowed that luxury.

"Really?" Cross asked, first directing his inquiry at Yuuki and then, having received a meek nod from her, at Zero, who had come to the table to place dishes with their meal on it.

"…" the older Kiryuu stood there silently, one plate still in his hand as the ex-hunter's question made him halt in his actions momentarily. He looked at the blond wonder that was their legal guardian, before his gaze flickered to his adopted sister's begging eyes for a couple of seconds. Then his attention returned to Cross, and a small sigh escaped him at the hopeful expression he was met with. Honestly tired of this farce that was becoming some kind of tradition for them already, Zero conceded and gave the older man a silent nod, which was immediately answered with another high-pitched squeal, and the ex-hunter was lost to them as he began mumbling to himself some nonsense about his 'precious little babies and how adorable they were' while swaying in his seat like an idiot that he was.

"Was it about that school?" Zero's voice sounded, startling Kaname a little as he realized that the question was directed at him.

"Oh, yes," he paused to murmur a soft 'thank you' when the silver-haired hunter put his plate in front of him. The corners of the brunet's lips went up slightly as he took a slow breath, mentally humming at the delicious smell coming from the food. Ah, he missed it. And it looked like Zero chose to make him his favorite too… "It's a joint project. We have been working on it for the last few years, and it should be completed soon."

The older twin hummed thoughtfully, taking his seat at the table, having finished serving with the help of his brother.

"Will you be going there too then, Kaname-sama?" Yuuki chirped in, obviously hoping for an affirmative answer, which she received in the form of the brunet vampire's nod.

"Too bad you won't be able to attend it for another couple of years, huh, Yuuki?" Ichiru said, smirking smugly. He just couldn't miss the opportunity to ruffle his adopted sister's feathers a bit – it was too much fun to pass up.

The auburn-haired girl didn't offer a verbal answer to it, merely pouting briefly before sticking out her tongue at the younger Kiryuu.

"How unladylike," Ichiru scoffed. "Are you sure you should behave like that in front of your _beloved 'Kaname-sama'_?"

Yuuki's eyes widened, her face brightening to tomato red in embarrassment and expression turning mortified as she realized her savior was present in the room and actually sat right next to her. Her head bowing, the girl muttered a quiet _'Jerk'_, obviously referring to Ichiru, who only smirked in response and started eating contently.

Little did the girl know that she was flustered for no reason. Because Kaname was, yet again, too distracted gazing at her favorite adopted brother to pay her attention.

**-o-**

"What is this?" Zero asked, turning his lavender eyes from the small gray box in his palm back to the pureblood in front of him, who was ready to leave as they stood in the hallway and the silver-haired boy saw the brunet out.

"Those are for Ichiru-kun. It's blood tablets," Kaname replied, continuing when the young hunter gave him an inquiring look, "They are artificial blood, for quenching bloodlust."

"Oh...I've never heard of them."

"It's a recent invention. They are a part of the co-existence project, for the vampires who will be attending the school Cross-san was talking about."

"I see…" Zero trailed off, looking at the metallic casing contemplatively before fixing his gaze on the pureblood anew, a slight smile lifting the corners of his lips, "Thanks, Kaname, but…Ichiru doesn't really need them. You know that, right?"

"…I do," the brunet finally answered, his gaze flickering to the bandages on the younger boy's neck involuntarily. He knew it _too well_. Even prior to _that_ night a month and a half ago."That is the reason I'm asking you to give this to him. It's dangerous, Zero-kun," Kaname's expression was stern, a hint of concern evident in his garnet orbs, "You can't keep giving your blood to him. Your brother's bloodlust will continue to intensify and it _will _make him drain you one day. Until he is stabilized, it-"

"He is," the pureblood's eyes widened at the words Zero cut him off with, "He _is _stabilized already, Kaname. From the very beginning."

"What…? But…" _'How?' _was left unsaid, but it hardly needed to be voiced, as that question was written all over the vampire's features.

Yet Zero refrained from granting Kaname the answers he wanted to know. The silver-haired boy merely gave him another soft smile of his, before coming closer to the older male and taking a hold of one of his hands.

The pureblood stiffened at the contact slightly, but he did a good job of concealing it, so Zero stayed blissfully unaware of his companion's mild discomfort. When the hunter had Kaname's hand in his, he turned it palm up and put the metallic box in it, then closed the brunet's long fingers around it, "Thank you, Kaname, really. But it's okay." He stepped back, and the pureblood found himself missing the contact already. "Ichiru won't hurt me. And you know that too."

"…Yes," the vampire admitted, however reluctantly. Because it was the truth. He knew _how much_ Ichiru loved his twin. But still…

"Besides, it's not like I mind it. The only problem is the bitemarks," Zero's fingers went to his neck and unconsciously brushed against the spot his counterpart had bitten into, "They're a real pain in the ass. Everyone at school gets the wrong idea because of them." He could tell from the funny looks that were often directed at him when he had the bandages wrapped around his neck.

"Oh," a genuine smile made it onto Kaname's lips, soon turning into a subtly sly smirk as an idea came to him. He leaned down a bit so that he was almost on the same eye level as the younger teen, "Well then, I can help you with that."

"Huh?" Zero's brows rose, his eyes widening slightly.

"If you give me your permission, of course."

"But…_how _will you…?" He was really curious, and it showed in his lilac orbs.

"You will see," the pureblood's smirk widened a bit, he could feel his heart starting to race in excitement, "So, may I?"

Zero regarded him for a few seconds, and, thinking that there was no harm in trying, shrugged his shoulders and then gave a nod.

Having received what he had been eagerly waiting for, Kaname gave a nod of his own, smiling reassuringly, and got on with his task. He raised his hand to the silver-haired boy's neck, letting his fingertips brush it briefly, and removed the clip from the bandage before loosening and then taking it off altogether.

The silver-haired boy stood still all this time, only watching the other's every move carefully, like the trained hunter he was. But as the pureblood began to lower his head towards his throat, Zero couldn't help the stiffening of his form. On instinct, he moved to step back, but Kaname's hold, firm yet surprisingly gentle, on his upper arms stopped him.

Then the brunet spoke, his voice quiet and soothing, "Don't worry. I won't bite, I promise…" He didn't move a muscle for the next couple of seconds, until the older Kiryuu gave him a slow nod, his frame now less rigid, but still not quite relaxed. And it stiffened even further when the boy felt warm breath ghost over the skin of his neck, sending small shivers down Zero's spine. Then something warm and wet made contact with his flesh, right where the two bitemarks were, and the hunter failed to suppress a sharp gasp of surprise, along with a rapidly spreading blush that had crept onto his face the instant the boy realized what exactly the pureblood was currently doing.

Automatically, Zero's hands shot up to clutch at the older teen's arms as he tried to move away once again. But like the last time, the attempt was unsuccessful – the only thing it did was evoking an amused chuckle from Kaname and causing the said male to tighten his hold. Now beet red, the silver-haired boy stuttered out the pureblood's name, his head bowing low and heart nearly jumping from his chest. To say that he was mortified beyond belief would be an understatement.

Zero's embarrassment was emanating from him in waves, and Kaname couldn't help the small chuckles that kept escaping him as he pulled back slightly, now that he was finished with his task, but still maintained close proximity just to tease the younger boy some more. He didn't relax his grip on Zero yet, unable to deny himself the luxury of being a bit mean to the hunter, who was adamantly refusing to meet his gaze at the moment.

His smirk widening, Kaname leaned forward once more, his lips mere inches from the hunter's flushed ear as he whispered, "Here, all healed." And it was true. But Zero hardly could be bothered by the now non-existent bitemarks.

Another chuckle sounded from the pureblood when he straightened up and released his hold on the younger boy, all the while regarding him carefully. The youth's hand immediately shot to that same ear the brunet had just spoken into to cover it, his head still bowed and amethyst orbs hidden from view, bright blush never disappearing. Needless to say, Kaname liked the sight immensely and he enjoyed every second of it to the fullest.

"I will see you soon then," the pureblood turned to the door, "Good night, Zero-kun. Sweet dreams..."

And so he left, disappearing into the night and leaving a speechless Zero behind.


	6. First Bits

_**A/N: **__Sorry for the delay, I got hospitalized. Twice. And I'm in the middle of my exams, so there's really not much free time to do anything other than study. But when I'm finished with Uni for this year, you can expect a lot of updates from me, for all my stories. Oh I can't wait!_

_Thank you for all your alerts and favorites adds and of course, for your lovely reviews! They always made my days and nights and gave me so much inspiration! :D_

_Disclaimer stands, warnings are the same. And we move another step forward with the story…_

_Please enjoy! :D_

**Chapter 6: First Bits**

A thin silver eyebrow rose as Ichiru watched his reflection walk into the room and go through and out of it at a brisk pace, evidently flustered and never lifting his gaze.

The first thing the younger Kiryuu noticed was the impossibly red blush adorning his brother's face from ear to ear and even spreading to his neck. The second thing he couldn't help silently noting was how Zero kept his hand pressed to one of his flushed ears. And the third thing that caught his attention and rose most suspicions…the bandages that had been wrapped around his twin's neck just a few minutes ago now weren't there, but were clutched in his counterpart's other hand instead. However, it wasn't the main reason why it captured Ichiru's attention so, no. It was the fact that the bitemarks, the ones _his fangs _had left, had disappeared. Miraculously and inexplicably. Even though the younger Kiryuu knew that they weren't supposed to fade away until another few days or so, as it was only recently that he had given them to Zero's delicious throat.

And considering the fact that his twin had just returned after seeing Kuran off… It wasn't surprising that Ichiru immediately suspected the pureblood's involvement in it. And he did _not _like it. Just like he didn't like anything that had something to do with that vampire.

He had long noticed the way Kaname was looking at his dear brother, the way he behaved around him – all those sickeningly sweet smiles and subtle gestures, those glances he threw Zero's way every so often. Of course, Cross and Yuuki were merrily oblivious to it, the two blessed, happy-go-lucky idiots that they were. Ichiru suspected even the pureblood himself didn't always manage to catch himself on doing it, but the younger twin wasn't a fool, neither was he blind. And he was very good at observing and noting things and changes, especially when it concerned his other half, who was more precious to him than anything in the world.

Ichiru had noticed all that and he loathed it. Thankfully though, his brother, ever the naïve softy, was yet to find out about it, and the younger teen certainly hoped that it would stay that way for as long as possible.

But after that strange…display Ichiru had witnessed…After whatever it was that _Kuran _had done…

The younger Kiryuu wasn't so sure that it would be the case anymore. And about that, too, he was _not _happy. For reasons he refused to state even to himself in his mind.

Getting up from his favorite place in the armchair in the living room, Ichiru headed into the kitchen where Zero had disappeared to just moments ago. Upon entering the room, he found his older brother standing by the counter washing dishes diligently, seeming to be immersed deep in thought. So much so that he even failed to notice his twin's presence. That alone was enough to make Ichiru's brows crease in a frown of concern.

Something inside of him stirred. He was getting anxious.

Quietly, the younger boy approached his other half and hugged him from behind, releasing a long, deep sigh and letting his weight rest on Zero's back. The older Kiryuu stopped his movements immediately, startled from his musings, tensing slightly at first before relaxing easily after a second, giving a sigh of his own as a small smile lifted his lips.

"What's wrong, Ichiru?" Zero asked softly, sensing his twin's uneasiness. He returned to his task, feeling much calmer now. It was his counterpart's presence that had this comforting effect on him.

Ichiru's arms tightened around his brother's middle and he buried his face in the nape of Zero's neck, inhaling his twin's familiar, calming scent. It had become yet another habit of his to do so.

The younger Kiryuu sighed again. Then he spoke lazily, his voice slightly muffled by Zero's neck, "Ne, Zero-nii…" Ah, the older boy knew _that _tone very well. Ichiru always used it when he wanted to ask something of him. And Zero thought he already knew what exactly it would be. "Let's skip tomorrow's practice. I really would rather do something more fun on our day off school." Yep, just as Zero thought. Now why wasn't he surprised? Although he couldn't say that he didn't understand Ichiru's reluctance.

But still, "Ichiru..." he wouldn't concede this time around. "I know you don't want to go there, and I do know _why_, but we can't just miss it. Yagari-shishou will be pissed." _Royally_, Zero mentally added.

"Yeah, I know," Ichiru replied matter-of-factly. Then a mischievous smirk made its way on his lips, "Wouldn't you like to see that?"

"No." _Hell no_.

"Come on, I'm sure it'll be fun."

"Yeah, right. Stop avoiding the subject."

"I'm not," Ichiru turned his head to press his cheek to his twin's warm skin. "There's no 'subject' anyway."

"Okay, I got it." They would drop that part then. "But we're _not _skipping our training tomorrow. Or ever," the older boy said, looking at his reflection sternly over his shoulder. Ichiru didn't really see _the look_ his brother gave him, but he could picture it way too well in his head, as he felt its full intensity. "Besides, maybe he has changed and stopped being the jerk he was back then."

Ichiru snorted. "Yeah, right. And pigs can fly and vamps drink tomato juice instead of blood."

"Ichiru…"

The younger Kiryuu let out a quiet groan of discontent. He tightened his hold again and leaned on Zero further, mumbling, "Okay, okay. I understand."

A soft smile along with a simple nod were given to Ichiru as a response. That, too, he couldn't see, but he felt that his twin's gaze on him softened. And that was enough.

Ichiru closed his eyes and nuzzled the nape of Zero's neck, inhaling the older boy's scent once more. He hadn't forgotten about Kaname or about the mysterious disappearance of the bitemarks on his brother's neck, but he felt it would be better not to bring it up, especially now. It didn't matter anyway. Besides, he didn't want to remind Zero about it unnecessarily.

For which the older twin was grateful.

**-o-**

"Ichiru!" Zero's distressed voice sounded as he dropped the gun in his hand and ran to his twin who had slumped to his knees with a barely suppressed cry of pain.

"What the hell, Kaito!" the older Kiryuu shouted at the ash brown-haired hunter who was approaching them at a relaxed pace, seemingly unaffected by what just happened.

"Whatever are you talking about, Zero?" Takamiya Kaito replied, stopping in a couple of meters from the Kiryuu twins who were kneeling on the ground, the older hugging the younger protectively while unconsciously trying to shield as much of his brother from the other hunter as possible.

"Don't play dumb with me," Zero said angrily, his eyes narrowing into a dark glare. "You threw a freaking _knife _at him!"

"So?" Kaito gave an uncaring shrug. "That was the point of our training, remember?"

"Cut the crap," lavender eyes narrowed further, "You didn't even hold back! What the hell were you thinking about?"

"Overprotective as ever, aren't you, Zero? You've always been such a softie," the older teen scoffed, his lips pulling into a derisive sneer.

"I'm serious, Kaito."

"So am I. There's no point in training if you're not being _serious_ about it. And besides," the ash brown-haired hunter paused, his cold hazel eyes turning to Ichiru, taunting, "it's _his _fault for not dodging it."

Another pair of amethyst orbs narrowed dangerously, a low growl escaping the younger Kiryuu. In response to which Kaito only smirked mockingly before speaking, "Still as clumsy as ever, I see." The hunter ignored Zero's sharp call of his name and continued, "And just as spoiled by your big bro. Huh, Ichiru?"

"Why you bas-" Ichiru's eyes flashed red for a split second as he lunged forward sharply, baring his elongated from anger fangs.

Kaito's reaction was immediate.

Without a hint of hesitation, the dark-haired hunter pulled out his gun and pointed it at the younger Kiryuu. But his target didn't stay where it was for long, as Zero promptly shielded his counterpart and took his place under the barrel of the anti-vampire weapon, effectively stopping Ichiru in his tracks.

Kaito narrowed his cold eyes. "Don't get in my way, _Zero_. You saw his reaction. _He _provoked me."

_'Yeah, right,' _both twins mentally hissed. "Put _that _away, Kaito," Zero said instead, referring to the gun that was still pointed at him and glaring at the older teen angrily. "You don't need it."

"I sure as hell do," his gaze flickered behind Zero for a brief second, "Especially when _he _is around."

"Ichiru is-"

"He is one of _them _now, Zero! I don't understand how _you _can be so calm about it! There's a limit to how naïve you can be, dammit!"

"I'm not!" Zero snapped, having had enough, "And it's none of your business! You don't know anything!"

Kaito opened his mouth to give a retort of his own, but no word left him as all of a sudden, he stiffened for a split second before regaining his composure and throwing one of the knives strapped to his thigh somewhere to the side. The gun also changed its target in split second. It was the fastest the twins had ever seen him move.

And it was no wonder _why_.

"Kaname…?" Zero's uncertain voice sounded as he looked over his shoulder at the obviously distressed pureblood. His usually burgundy orbs now held a reddish tint to them as he gazed at Kaito intently, eyes narrowed and expression grim, his aura somewhat agitated. In his hand was a knife the older hunter had thrown his way seconds ago, stopped by Kaname moments before it managed to embed itself in his neck. But it looked like it was the last thing that bothered the brunet vampire. He just disregarded the blade, tossing it to the side uncaringly, never averting his gaze from the three hunters before him, and especially from the one he didn't know but already disliked.

Unconsciously, Kaname took a step forward, his attention fixed on the unknown teen. The red in his eyes brightened, but it settled down after only a few moments as the pureblood was pulled out from his daze by a relatively familiar gruff voice coming from behind him.

"What the hell is going on here?" Yagari sounded, obviously far from being happy. His posture seemed relaxed, but just like the first time Kaname had met him, his hand was already on his gun, and he was ready to take it out and shoot any second.

When no response followed, the number one hunter spoke again, more irritation clear in his tone, "I'm waiting. Answer me, you stupid brats."

Kaname's brow twitched at the older man's words. He was _not _just referred to as one of the 'brats', was he?

"…It's nothing," Kaito said after another short while of silence, lowering his weapon and putting it away. "Just a small accident during training. And Ichiru being his usual clumsy," he ignored Zero's sharp call of his name in the background and continued, a mocking smirk lifting his lips, "weak self. As I said, nothing serious."

Yagari's eye narrowed in suspicion. He had taken in the situation already – it wasn't so hard to do when it concerned his two 'stupid students' and Kaito. Seriously, what was he thinking, leaving the three of them on their own, even if it was only for a few minutes? These idiots never changed, regardless of how much time had passed since their last encounter.

"…It better be the last time this kind of _'accident' _happens, _Kaito_," Yagari warned quietly, his stern gaze trained on the ash brown-haired male as he came up to the three young hunters.

Kaito's smirk dropped, he stayed quiet, deciding it better not to reply. Yagari wasn't joking, and he was _not _happy with him – that much the teen could see from the man's expression. Silently, he watched as the senior hunter examined the younger Kiryuu – whose breathing rate suddenly quickened before they all knew it, now that Kaito paid attention.

Yagari tsked, scowling, "This is bad."

"Ichiru…?" Zero spoke the name hesitantly, noticing that there was something wrong with his twin's condition. When no response followed, he called his brother again, now with more urgency in his tone. This time around too, however, the younger Kiryuu didn't react, and the next thing the four individuals knew, Ichiru's form went limp as he lost consciousness.

"Ichiru!" Zero cried, his eyes widening in horror as he fell to his knees following his twin.

**-o-**

Quiet knocks followed by a soft call of his name was what startled Zero from his worried thoughts a couple of hours later. Rubbing at his eyes just in case, the silver-haired teen allowed entrance and the one behind his room's door stepped into the room.

"Still no changes, I suppose?" Kaname asked, referring to the still unconscious Ichiru lying on the bed.

Zero's gaze returned to his counterpart, then after a few seconds he gave the pureblood a negative shake of his head in response to his question, one of his hands unconsciously going to caress Ichiru's identically silver hair and brush some of it from the younger boy's too warm for Zero's liking forehead, while his other hand squeezed that of his brother tighter.

"I see…" the brunet replied absent-mindedly, watching the older twin and his every action carefully. Even in the dark, Kaname couldn't help but notice how red the younger boy's eyes were, how stiff his posture was and how much distress filled his aura. Obviously, he was worried sick for his younger brother, as always.

The brunet sighed soundlessly, his gaze falling. There it was again. That stupid pang in his chest that made itself known every so often when he was near Zero. It was annoying to say the least. Especially now, for whatever reason.

Silence settled over the room for some time. Zero continued petting Ichiru's head gently while Kaname kept watching him quietly, unable to look away yet again.

Then a thought crossed the pureblood's mind, and he spoke before he knew it. It was unbecoming of him to say the least. Such an impulsive action.

"I can…help him, Zero-kun." What in the world was he saying…? "I can make it so that Ichiru-kun would heal for sure and much, much faster." God, he really _was _a complete fool. What the hell was he thinking? Ah, right, he wasn't. Words just left him on their own accord before he could stop them. The idiot.

"What…? Really?" Finally, Zero's gaze rested on him. Kaname couldn't help but smile involuntarily at the sheer relief mixed with pure happiness, uncertainty and disbelief he saw in the boy's amethyst orbs. He gave a slight nod in response to the other's question and emotions in those lilac pools intensified. The corners of the brunet's lips went further upwards at that. "But- it's…_How_?"

"I will show you. But you have to promise me that it will be our little secret. Don't tell anybody about it, even Ichiru-kun. Alright?"

The older twin gave a slow nod without a second thought. He got up and stepped slightly to the side, letting the pureblood take his place by the bed.

Kaname lowered himself on the edge of the mattress, his expression returned to neutral as he watched the sleeping and still softly panting Ichiru. Having checked the location of other occupants of the house and confirmed that they were where he had left them with his senses, the brunet vampire nodded mentally to himself, then proceeded with his self-appointed task, deeming it better to get it over with sooner.

Zero watched silently as the older teen took a deep breath, then bared one of his wrists before…

"K-Kaname, what are…" In shock and obvious horror, the older Kiryuu stared as the brunet slowly made a deep cut in his wrist with a suddenly sharply clawed finger of his other hand, drawing blood with a disturbingly calm and blank expression on his perfect face. Zero winced, involuntarily imagining how much pain it must have caused the pureblood, even if he himself was the one who did it.

"Blood is the only thing that can help in this- well, in this and many other situations," Kaname replied to Zero's unfinished question, bringing his wrist to Ichiru's mouth that he had already pried open. His free hand rested on the boy's throat, 'guiding' the dark-red liquid into his system.

"Eh? But then I-"

"No," the brunet interrupted, tensing imperceptibly. "In his current state, Ichiru-kun would have taken too much for you to handle it normally." Well, that and…

Unbidden, the images from the last time Kaname saw the younger Kiryuu feed crossed his mind briefly. But he shook them off silently, continuing, "Besides, a pureblood's blood is more potent than any antidote. It works faster too, much faster than any other blood, especially than that of a human. It will heal Ichiru-kun's wounds and help him recover in no time. So he will be alright by this morning, considering that the hunter poison wasn't too strong, as your master said."

"I see…"

A quiet sigh of relief left the silver-haired teen's lips, his expression relaxing visibly, but concern was still present in lilac eyes as they continued to watch Kaname.

Feeling the steady gaze on his back, the pureblood's form stiffened unnoticeably, his posture straightening unwittingly. Thankfully for Kaname though, it looked like Zero missed how tense he had become and more importantly, was clueless about the reason for it.

"This should be enough," the brunet mumbled to himself after some while and a couple more times of cutting his wrist. He retrieved his hand from the younger Kiryuu twin and licked the already healed wound, cleaning it from remaining blood and cringing momentarily at the metallic taste. Then he spoke to Zero, who was by his brother's side again, his fingers threading through Ichiru's hair carefully. "He will be alright when he wakes up. You can rest assured now, Zero-kun."

The hunter gave an absent-minded nod, his attention still captured by his counterpart. From his careful observation, he could see that Ichiru's breathing had slowed down already and his forehead didn't feel so hot anymore. Kaname was right.

Zero turned to the brunet vampire then, and garnet eyes widened slightly upon witnessing the sight before them. On its own accord – yet again, annoyingly – his heart, ever the traitorous thing, fluttered and began beating a bit faster. For a second, he couldn't breathe.

All from a mere smile. One filled with immense relief and happiness, soft and beautiful and meant only for him, yes, but damn it, it was just a smile!

God, he felt ashamed of himself for being _this _pathetic. Yet he couldn't help the pleasant, comfortable warmth that spread in his chest at the sight of the silver-haired hunter.

Zero's next action, however, nearly made Kaname's heart stop altogether from too many emotions it had to experience at once. He could never even imagine that it was possible to feel like that, and for him of all people.

When his lungs were able to function more or less properly again, it was Zero's tantalizing scent that filled them immediately to the fullest. Unwittingly, he took another breath. Then another one, greedily, but as inconspicuously as he could. And it looked like he was succeeding in his attempt to hide his shameful actions.

"Thank you, Kaname," Zero whispered, his voice slightly muffled by the pureblood's thick, wavy locks. Then slender arms tightened around Kaname's neck and the boy's warm body was pressed further into his.

Zero repeated his previous words again, and the brunet came out of his daze at last.

Slowly, he raised his arms and returned the embrace, carefully and unusually uncertainly. When the hunter still didn't pull away like Kaname was afraid he would, he tightened his hold around the small form, his eyes closing as he nodded softly before bringing his face a little closer to the boy's pale neck.

Discreetly, he drew in another breath, this one slow if not a bit shaky, soon followed by a quiet sigh of content and a small yet so rarely genuine smile that came to his lips.

**-o- **

Rapid scribing of the pen on paper was the only sound that disturbed the absolute silence of the dark room.

Kaname sat behind his mahogany desk, dutifully doing his job of going through the Vampire Council documents and suggestions; filling them accordingly, adding his own remarks and either accepting or declining them. On the outside, he seemed quite absorbed in what he was currently busy with. On the inside, however, his mind was anywhere but on the paperwork he had stacked in front of him.

After putting down yet another document, the pureblood switched his attention to the next one that was waiting for him. For a few seconds he stared at it unseeingly, trying to take in its contents, but the attempt turned out to be futile. So he gave up on it soon enough and put the paper aside, before leaning back in his armchair and closing his eyes, a long sigh falling from his lips.

He couldn't push it out of his mind. Those words Zero had said to him that evening about half a year back now.

They had surprised him, to put it mildly, due to obvious reasons. And he had had half a mind not to trust them at some point, after thinking them through and considering the possibilities. But the brunet hadn't detected any hint of a lie in the older Kiryuu's words, and Kaname was not just good, he was a master at it.

Needless to say, he had immediately noticed that Zero was, indeed, keeping something back – he wasn't a fool too after all. But the pureblood let it be and decided not to inquire into it any further, as the young hunter's reluctance to stay on that topic had been quite evident. So he had complied with the boy's wish and granted his unvoiced request. But it didn't mean that he had agreed not to look into it on his own…

Zero's statement about Ichiru being stabilized hadn't just surprised the Kuran heir, it had also piqued his curiosity, and considerably so. He couldn't help but keep asking himself questions silently. Questions that hardly anyone but the Kiryuu twins could grant with answers, for they were the only ones who knew the truth.

Well, they and…

So it hadn't taken Kaname too long to decide on what he had to do if he wanted to get the information he required. Thus he had done some digging. Or rather, had had Seiren, his loyal and trusted bodyguard, do it in his stead, like usual when he was in this kind of situation.

As always, she had been fast and efficient, and the pureblood was very content with her service. Nevertheless, Kaname's plans hadn't gone as smoothly as he had hoped, and he had had to experience a few failures, as thus far all that had been waiting for him was the dead end. Not that he was surprised, really, but somewhere deep down, on subconscious level, he had to admit that he had hoped for a more favorable outcome, and much sooner too.

The harder it was to get to the very core of that tragic event, the more the brunet got interested in it. And before he knew it, he couldn't help mulling over it every now and then, once again thinking of every possible detail and occurrence of _that _fateful night that had – as it turned out, now that he had finally realized – in fact affected him and his life as well, before he even had the chance to notice it.

It may be wrong, it may be a bad idea that can backfire on him badly, and it surely wasn't his place to interfere, he knew. But it had never stopped him in the past, and it wouldn't this time around too. His curiosity, his need to _know_, to _find out_, pushed him further and further into the depths of this secret. And soon he simply forgot about all doubts and second thoughts, and kept going towards his goal, driven to get to the truth like never before in his life.

Kaname took a deep breath and relaxed further into the leather armchair he was sitting in.

His heartbeat and respiratory rate began to slow down gradually as the pureblood concentrated on dipping into his powers.

Then he exhaled slowly, his form becoming rigid and eyes snapping open sharply, glassy and shining a vivid red.

**-o-**

Somewhere far away, from anything and everything alive, an abandoned estate could be found, hidden from the world by a thick, dark, endless forest that consisted of long dead trees. Everything around it was still, surrounded by complete silence, and time itself seemed to have frozen there. Tiny flakes of slowly falling snow were the only thing that disturbed the eerie tranquility of the secluded area.

On the vast territory, right near the estate was a garden filled with nothing but trees. But unlike those around the manor, these ones were far from being lifeless – on the contrary, they were the cherry blossoms in full bloom in spite of the season. Smooth petals of some of them fell down and onto the blanketed ground along with white feathery snowflakes, almost impossibly slowly, like they, too, were caught in that frozen time.

In the middle of all that, a lone figure lay motionlessly, almost merging with the colorless covering under its tall slender form.

For some while, it didn't seem like it was even breathing, but then a soft chuckle sounded from it as a slight smile pulled the corners of the pale pink lips upwards before a quiet, feminine voice spoke.

"My my… Of all people, I have never expected to see _you _here…" the woman trailed off, her eyes closed. But then she slowly opened them, revealing two unusually beautiful pink orbs. She kept her gaze on the dark sky for a few seconds, silently enjoying the view, before shifting it to the figure standing by one of the many cherry blossom trees not far from her. Her small smile never faltering, Hiou Shizuka continued, "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing the young Kuran heir himself?" She paused, her expression turning thoughtful briefly before playfulness returned to it, "Not quite in the flesh though, it seems."

"Madly Blooming Princess… Hiou Shizuka." A hint of distaste crossed the silver-haired woman's face at that another name she had been given a long time ago by the fools that had deemed her insane for no reason, but she didn't say anything to her companion, not really bothered by it anymore.

"Not so dead as they want to believe, am I?" She let out a faint chuckle. "What brings you here, I wonder?"

"I…have something I want to ask you about."

"Oh? Now you got me quite intrigued. What might it be that you cannot find answers to on your own…?" Clearly, she was amused, but also genuinely curious as well. She meant every word she said.

Kaname remained silent, watching the still lying in the snow woman for a short while. In all honesty, he didn't quite know how to approach the matter. He never really thought about it – the first and foremost task had been to find Shizuka, and as far as the method of questioning went, he hadn't really bothered with contemplating on such a thing. But now that he had_ finally _tracked her down… It was safe to say that he was a bit at a loss, uncharacteristically. It was a good thing that his expression didn't betray his slight uncertainty – he made sure it didn't.

"The Kiryuu family," Kaname said simply, and Shizuka's smile fell, red flickering in her eyes momentarily.

"What of them?"

"I want to know about the night you took your revenge on them…and how the younger of the twins managed to get your blood."

One silver eyebrow rose elegantly, "Oh? Here I was wondering why you would be looking for me so persistently… To think that _this _was the reason…" Pink orbs looked at the brunet thoughtfully, their owner silent for a few moments. Then the female pureblood spoke again, "Why does it matter to you so much?"

"It doesn't," Kaname replied firmly, "I merely want to know the truth. Because I don't like being in the dark, nor am I used to it."

"Oh…" was all Shizuka said, a slow smile pulling the corners of her lips slightly up and a small chuckle escaping her, "If you say so. It doesn't concern me either way."

_'Then why ask in the first place?' _Kaname exclaimed in his mind, already getting thoroughly frustrated with the other pureblood. It was very much clear that the woman was simply toying with him.

"Oh, don't be so upset. I'm merely teasing." Yeah, he could see. And he was _not _upset. A bit annoyed at most, but for a good reason. No one liked to be made fun of, and Kaname certainly wasn't an exception. "Can't help myself when you're so serious and tense yet trying to appear indifferent." The brunet's brow twitched as another soft chuckle sounded from his companion, his frustration and impatience growing steadily, which the tone he spoke with next showed.

"Will you answer my question or not?"

"You haven't asked me one yet, as I recall," Shizuka's smile widened more. Oh yes, she was having so much fun.

Dark eyebrow twitched once more, but the brunet pureblood didn't let his irritation get the better of him. He drew a steadying breath, then voiced his inquiry, "How did the younger of the Kiryuu twins get your blood?"

"'How'…Why, that is very simple," she sat up, slowly and gracefully, taking her sweet time to give her reply, "_I _gave it to him, of course. What else could there be to it?" She said it in such a tone that Kaname felt stupid for even asking, let alone considering any other possible variants. "Surely you didn't think that a mere child could overpower _me_?" She tilted her head slightly to the side, as though emphasizing the question. When Kaname stayed silent, she turned away, huffing softly, "How insulting…" Yet the mirth in her pink orbs was unmistakable, and the brunet vampire didn't miss it. He really didn't get this woman.

"Why?" The brunet asked, deciding to move on with the conversation.

"'Why'?" Shizuka echoed, returning her attention to him, "Do specify what you mean, please."

"Why did you give it to him? Why did you turn only him?" Kaname inquired, getting a bit impatient already. "Why did you…" he paused, his voice now quieter, "…spare them in the first place?" She could have easily killed the two boys together with their parents. And in most cases, it would have happened. Then why, _why _had she…

"Because such was our agreement," the female pureblood answered calmly, unfazed.

_''Agreement'…?'_ the brunet repeated mentally, his brows drawing together in a slight frown.

"Although I must admit, I was indeed tempted to have a taste of the other boy as well," she mused aloud, unconsciously licking her lips, her eyes flickering red briefly. It made Kaname tense involuntarily, as well as her next words. "They both smelt delicious after all, wouldn't you agree?"

The brunet chose not to answer to that.

"I want to know about that night," he said again, this time more firmly. "Will you give me the answers I am looking for?"

The smile fell from Shizuka's lips and all playfulness disappeared from her demeanor. She kept her gaze on the male pureblood, seeming to contemplate something and not saying a word. It was only a minute or so later that she spoke.

A slow, mocking smirk made its way on the silver-haired woman's lips as she voiced her decision, "Very well…I _will_ give you the _truth_…"

**-o-**

A creak of old iron double gates interrupted the peaceful silence that enveloped the cemetery as Zero pushed them open and went through them. He had lost track of time yet again, and it was already getting late. He knew Ichiru was probably pretty worried – not to mention very grumpy – by now, so he hurried to the station in order not to miss the last train. However, he stopped in his tracks after taking only a few steps, his lavender eyes widening slightly in surprise.

_'What… Why is…?'_

"Kaname…?" Zero uttered the name uncertainly after turning around towards the source of the familiar aura that had made itself known to him a second before. And the pureblood was really standing there, having just gotten out of the black limousine parked not far from the entrance to the cemetery.

The brunet gave him a soft smile, making his way to the silver-haired teen, "Hello, Zero-kun. How have you been?" It had been a long time since Kaname last saw him – well, only about a couple of months actually, but in the pureblood's opinion, it could be considered as a rather long period of time. He wouldn't deny that he missed the other. But he _would _leave it to himself.

"Fine…Why are… What are you doing here?"

"I…um," silver eyebrows furrowed slightly at the unfamiliar uncertainty that was present in the vampire's voice, to which Kaname only offered another smile of his and continued, "I was nearby on my way to Cross-san, so I took the liberty of coming here to pick you up. If you don't mind, of course."

"I…don't. But how did you know about this place? And that I'm here…"

"Cross-san mentioned it once before," the brunet continued lying smoothly. Cross had never spoken about this place before. And he hadn't been just on his way to the ex-hunter's residence. He had arrived there, but upon sensing that the older Kiryuu wasn't present in the house, he left without exiting the car and gave the driver directions to this location. It was just a guess, but it was confirmed when he sensed Zero's presence just where he had thought it would be. So the pureblood ordered his chauffer to stop the car near the entrance to the cemetery, and he waited. Waited and waited, for quite a long time. Until Zero showed up.

"I felt your presence and followed it." Well, at least that part was somewhat true. "Cold?" Kaname asked with a small frown creasing his brows when he saw Zero rub his slightly reddened hands together. The boy gave a nod in response and the brunet stepped closer. He took the older Kiryuu's smaller hands in his, then rubbed them gently.

Zero blinked. "You're warm," he said, somewhat bewildered.

And it was Kaname's turn to blink in surprise. Then a hearty chuckle escaped him before he replied to the silver-haired teen's comment, "Of course I am." Burgundy eyes glinted with amusement as the pureblood teased, "And just so you know, my heart beats too."

"I know that!" Zero retorted, a furious blush adoring his cheeks, and it definitely wasn't the cold weather that was the case. Kaname let out another chuckle at the rather adorable sight the young hunter made. "I just meant that-"

"I know, Zero. I know." But he couldn't help teasing the boy. It was too much fun. Although, Kaname found himself liking it way too much. "I _am_ responsive to changes in temperature and I do feel how cold it is now, but I can control my body heat if I want to."

"Oh…That's cool."

"Is it really?" Kaname asked, even more amused now.

Zero nodded, smiling slightly, and the corners of Kaname's lips also went upwards.

"We should get inside," the pureblood spoke, "It's freezing here."

His smile widened a bit, and the silver-haired boy nodded, "Yeah…Okay."

Kaname guided him to the awaiting car and soon enough they were seated inside of it comfortably and on their way to Cross's living quarters. Comfortable silence settled over the two, occasionally interrupted only by Zero blowing warm puffs of breath on his slightly stiff fingers while Kaname watched the boy quietly.

"So…" the hunter started, breaking the silence, "What have you been up to? We haven't heard from you in a while."

"Yes…I have been busy with the school arrangements." And not only that, but Kaname would rather keep that part to himself. "Do you remember? The one Cross-san once told you about."

"Sure," Zero nodded. "It's all he has been talking about lately. Drives us all crazy sometimes actually," the boy chuckled, remembering a few particular episodes. "You know how he is."

The brunet smiled, in response to both the hunter's words and to his display of joy, "Yes, I certainly do."

"How is it moving along then?"

"Quite smoothly. We encountered some problems at first, but it is all solved now. Everything should be ready in a few months, even before your graduation."

"That's great," Zero sent the pureblood another small smile. "So that's why you were going to visit us tonight? To share the good news?"

"Oh, yes…Of course." Not really. He didn't even plan it. And the purpose of his visit was hardly what the younger teen assumed. "And I have more time on my hands now so…"

"I see. You'll be coming over more frequently again then?" Zero asked, somewhat hopefully, and not for the first time, Kaname's stupid heart skipped a beat without its master's consent.

"You could say so, I guess. Why, Zero-kun," a smug smirk came to his features now, making its presence known even in the brunet's voice, "I had no idea that you missed me to such an extent."

"Wh-? Y-you-" the blush returned, twice redder than the first one, amethyst eyes widened. "I didn't!" Zero finally managed, turning away, a slight scowl on his still beet red face. Which only deepened – both the scowl and the blush – when yet another chuckle came from Kaname.

"Is that so," the brunet vampire said in a mock hurt voice, trying to feign genuine disappointment and failing in it miserably, for once in his life. The grin he currently had on his face was just impossible to suppress – a few seconds was all he could manage at best. The sight of the boy before him was just too endearing.

Zero didn't respond verbally, only turned away to the window, obviously trying to hide his face from the pureblood. Although it didn't really help as one of his reddened ears was still very much visible to Kaname, who couldn't help but emit a deep chuckle before uttering quietly, amusement evident in his voice, "Well, if you say so…"

The two lapsed into silence once more. The silver-haired teen continued staring out the tinted window, taking in the night scenery outside, while the pureblood kept watching him wordlessly, unable to turn away.

They stayed that way for a while, content with just sitting there and enjoying each other's company.

However, as minutes went by, Kaname's smile slowly disappeared and all playfulness left his garnet orbs, his gaze became contemplative. And before he knew it…

"...You know what really happened that night, don't you? What _he _did..." he blurted out the question he had wanted to voice for some time now.

Immediately, Zero froze, his eyes widened with horror and growing apprehension clear in them, and Kaname didn't fail to notice it. The boy caught himself after a short while though, his composure returning as he willed his body to relax. Although he wasn't so successful in it – his posture was still rather stiff despite his efforts.

The pureblood continued, "Yet you still remain by his side... Why?"

Heavy silence fell upon them. Zero fought to stop himself from hyperventilating and his heart from quickening any further while Kaname struggled to understand why his own pulse rate had accelerated so much, why he waited for the answer so anxiously, even though it didn't show on his face or in his body language.

Finally, Zero managed to speak, however disjointedly, "Wh-what…How...how did you know about that?" The boy's voice was strained, the brunet noted to himself.

"...Does it matter?"

"...No…No. Does anyone else know?" There was fear behind those barely audible words in the teen's tone, Kaname could hear it clearly. And it made something tighten in his chest.

"I don't think so, no..." Because he had never..."I never told a soul about it, and I won't, so there is no need for you to worry so much."

The silver-haired youth sighed shakily in relief, his form visibly relaxing for real now, although Kaname doubted Zero himself was aware of it.

"Thank...you..." the boy whispered weakly, still not meeting the other's gaze. Kaname didn't say anything, but simply nodded.

Another short while passed, and the brunet vampire already thought he wouldn't get an answer to his previous question. But then Zero spoke again, quietly and with a hint of uncertainty.

"I could never think of leaving Ichiru all alone...He is all I have left, my only family." And his other half. They had always been together, _from the very beginning_…

"Even though he is the one who made it that way...?" The pureblood asked almost inaudibly. He didn't get a verbal response.

He didn't get anything really, for the first minute or so. And even after that all he received was a small nod and a soft, a little pained smile along with a sad expression that took Kaname's breath away.

His fingers curled into a fist to stop his hand from reaching out to touch the other as it ached to do.

He wanted to say something, but couldn't. And so he gave up, scared and uncertain, although he wouldn't admit it even to himself.

Wordlessly, Kaname turned away, his solemn gaze cast down, fingers uncurling to rest uselessly on the leather seat.

_He should have never asked in the first place..._

The rest of the ride was spent in silence.


	7. Scattered Pieces

_**A/N: **__And I'm almost back. And it's another new chapter in spite of the fact that tomorrow I have yet another exam. But there are only a few of them left and then I'll finally be able to write as much as I want. Even if by that time I won't get better, as I am still sick – for the forth time this month already, dammit, and it's seriously starting to piss me off._

_Anyway, the updates are definitely coming and I can't wait to resume working on all my stories (the new ones as well)._

_Again, I sincerely thank everyone who added me or my story to their favs or alerts or both – truthfully, it means a lot. And of course, thanks for all the wonderful reviews, you have no idea how much delight they bring me :) _

_Disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same for now. Now without further ado…_

_Hope you'll enjoy reading! :D_

**Chapter 7: Scattered Pieces**

A deep yawn escaped the younger Kiryuu twin as he leaned on the tree behind him heavily. He felt so sleepy and lazy, and yet here they were...

"Remind me again why we're doing it, would you?" Ichiru asked with mild irritation evident in his tone.

"Hmm..." Zero pretended to think, "Because Cross won't stop nagging us for the rest of our lives otherwise?"

"Oh, right," the younger teen responded, then turned his head to the side to look at his other companion. A smug smirk appeared on his lips after a few seconds and he broke the short-lived silence once more, "And because Yuuki is totally useless," the said brunet girl emitted a sharp _'Hey!' _in response to the insult, but as it so often happened, Ichiru merrily ignored her, his gaze already on his brother again as he continued, "You shouldn't forget about that fact too, Zero."

"I didn't." He gave an apologetic smile to Yuuki when she whined his name in the background. Needless to say, the girl couldn't resist and let it go almost immediately, huffing softly while a slight blush spread over her cheeks. Ichiru scoffed at the sight, earning a small punch on the arm from his adopted sister.

Rubbing the slightly sore spot absent-mindedly, the younger Kiryuu spoke once more, this time to no one in particular, "Honestly, how much longer are they going to make us wait? As if that bastard wasn't enough, now we have to deal with his stupid buddies..." Ichiru tsked in annoyance, his mood worsening all over again.

"Ichiru..." Zero started, but his quiet voice was drowned out by Yuuki's loud indignant one.

"Ichiru! Stop speaking of Kaname-sama in such a manner! He doesn't deserve such treatment, especially from you of all people!"

A tired sigh sounded from the older Kiryuu at the start of one painfully familiar scene. Really, those two...

"Oh? Just look at you, protecting your _beloved _'prince' so vehemently. How sweet," he snorted, "It's a pity he's not here to witness your loyalty, huh?"

Yuuki felt a vein pop on her temple, her cheeks turned red once more, but this time it was from anger and embarrassment.

"Shut up, you idiot!" the little brunet exclaimed in the end, sticking out her tongue at the younger twin before turning away, pouting and mumbling a quiet 'Stupid Ichiru' under her breath.

Ichiru merely gave another snort, his smirk widening. Ah, he already felt a bit better. Making fun of Yuuki always helped him lift his crappy mood. But what was even better...

The teen moved slightly to the side, closer to his twin, then clung to Zero's arm and let his weight partly rest against the other's form. The older Kiryuu didn't protest, neither did he show any sign of reluctance or discontent. His only reaction was to smile lightly while sending his brother a warm look, and pat the other's head gently. A soft sight fell from Ichiru's lips that now had a small, content smile of their own playing on them.

Yeah, nothing could compare to this. Ichiru loved being so close to his other half, it always brought him peace and made him feel so light, so good, so..._right_. He nuzzled Zero's shoulder lightly, another satisfied sigh escaping him.

"Tired?" Zero inquired, his voice quiet with a hint of concern evident in it. A small frown came to his features unconsciously.

Ichiru hummed lazily, then responded slowly, his eyes closed, "Just a bit. _And _I'd definitely rather be in our bed sleeping than here, waiting for some pompous ass and his gang."

"Ichi-!"

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up already, you're annoying," the younger Kiryuu interrupted Yuuki before she got the chance to finish her reprimand. "I don't care that he's your _'prince'_, _'hero'_, _'savior'_, _'crush'_ or whatever." At the word 'crush', a bright blush spread over the brunet girl's cheeks. She opened her mouth to protest, but Ichiru cut her off once more, genuinely irritated by now, "It doesn't change anything for _me_, alright?"

He was about to continue when a light smack to his head interrupted him. Grunting quietly, the younger hunter turned his accusing gaze to his twin, his head still resting on the other's shoulder as he continued clinging to Zero's arm. For once though, the older Kiryuu didn't yield to his counterpart's pouting expression.

"Ichiru, you're going overboard. Stop it."

"But nii-san…" the teen whined.

"You too, Yuuki," Zero continued when he caught the little brunet stifle a giggle of delight. "You know how Ichiru is when he is tired and cranky, yet you still keep pestering him. Don't whine about him being cruel to you later."

The youngest of the three flushed in embarrassment again, then turned away, huffing softly, while Ichiru snickered.

"You always take his side," Yuuki mumbled under her breath, pouting, "It's so unfair, just because he is your brother…"

"What was that?" Ichiru replied with a smug smirk plastered on his face. The older twin, meanwhile, chose to ignore the girl's comment.

"Shut up, stupid Ichiru."

Surprisingly, he did. Although it most probably was the intent look Zero was giving him that _persuaded _Ichiru to remain silent. Ah well. He had his fun for the night anyway, so whatever. He would follow Zero's wish and stop his teasing. Besides, it looked like he wouldn't have time for it anyway, seeing as…

"Nii-san…" the younger twin called softly, his eyes opened, now lacking any hint of mirth altogether.

"Yeah, I can feel it too."

"Eh? What? What are you talking about?" That was Yuuki, confused by the twins' words and curious to know what they meant.

"The vamps," Ichiru replied distractedly, "they're here."

Just as he said it, a rather familiar black limousine came into view, soon followed by a few more cars. Having stepped away from the tree they had been standing near waiting all this time, the three teens watched the swiftly approaching vehicles. Soon enough they pulled over and it wasn't long before an all too familiar form of one Kuran Kaname stepped out of the car and immediately went in their direction, a small smile already settled on his handsome features as he greeted them.

As expected, that alone was enough to make Yuuki a blushing, silently nervous mess, and she couldn't hide it no matter how hard she tried.

Ichiru sneered at the sight. God, this girl was so painfully obvious…

"Zero-kun…"

And so impossibly oblivious.

Ichiru's smile disappeared and his gaze hardened as Kaname spoke to his brother and then to him, having already asked Yuuki whatever the hell it was that he wanted to know. The voice and tone the pureblood called his twin's name with were just… They annoyed the younger Kiryuu to no end, to say the least.

Honestly, speaking about _painfully obvious_, dammit.

He still had a hard time comprehending how the hell he was the only one who had noticed thus far. Naturally, he didn't really care about Yuuki's total obliviousness, but for that of his twin he never stopped being endlessly grateful.

"…Ichiru-kun, how are you two tonight?" Kaname continued after a small pause, directing his attention at the younger twin before returning it to Zero eagerly. "I hope you didn't have to wait for us here for too long."

"Not at all!" Yuuki replied before Ichiru could even open his mouth to complain and tell the brunet male what he thought. Still blushing, the girl went on, "Please don't worry about it, Kaname-sama, we're happy to help."

"Yeah, right," still, it didn't mean that the girl's timely interruption would stop the younger Kiryuu completely, "Speak for yourself, Yuuki. Here is the last place I want to be."

"Ichiru!" and that was Yuuki too, _again_. Seriously, she was beginning to be one very annoying pain in the ass already. "Don't start!"

"What? I merely answered his question honestly. So sorry for not fangirling over him like _you _always do."

"I do not!"

"Oh you so do. Don't even try to deny it. Even a blind and deft idiot would notice it." That one was true for sure, and they all knew it, no matter how hard Yuuki tried to deny it.

"You little-!" the girl exclaimed, raising her small fist angrily, her face beet red by now. She made a hasty step towards Ichiru, who quickly moved away and clung to his brother's arm once more, feigning fright.

"Aah, nii-san! She's getting violent again!" the younger Kiryuu whined mockingly, leaning onto his twin and away from Yuuki who had already stopped in her tracks, even more embarrassed and ashamed of herself than before. Again, Ichiru made a complete fool out of her, and in front of Kaname-sama too.

Ichiru smirked. Ah, it was as easy as ever. Seriously, Yuuki was so predictable. And speaking of predictable…

The younger hunter sneaked a glance at the pureblood vampire still standing near them. _Predictably_, his smile was gone and expression had darkened – almost imperceptibly so, but to Ichiru it was clear as a day. Really, what was Yuuki getting all worked up for? It wasn't like Kuran was even paying enough attention to notice her 'embarrassing behavior'.

"Ichiru…" the said teen perked up visibly when his name was called by the familiar voice of his most favorite person. Its tone didn't sound quite favorable for him personally, but it didn't bother Ichiru in the slightest. He knew he could get away with anything either way. Honestly, even he himself knew and silently admitted that he was completely spoiled by Zero. Which he never stopped enjoying and shamelessly taking advantage of – even his consciousness kept quiet about it, so it was all the easier to do so.

Ichiru gave a mental shrug before pushing his random thoughts to the side and turning his attention and gaze to his other half, a sweet smile already playing on his lips. He knew Zero was weak against it. "Yes, nii-san?"

"…" Ah, as expected, he faltered. His gaze was still reprimanding, but it did soften to an extent. Internally, Ichiru smirked in smug self-satisfaction. Externally, however, he displayed surrender. There _were _downsides to his love for his twin too after all – he was just as susceptible to _'the look'_, whether it was scolding or pleading or any other, that Zero could shoot him. Ah well, not that he really minded…

"Okay, okay. I'll stop right now," the younger Kiryuu said to his counterpart, then he turned to their adopted sister and put his unoccupied hand on her head, making Yuuki blink in confusion while Kaname only arched a perfect eyebrow. Such lack of reaction didn't escape Ichiru, but for now he quickly returned his attention to the younger brunet. Ruffling the petite girl's auburn hair slightly, Ichiru spoke, "I'm sorry, Yuuki. It was wrong of me to tease you like that. I went too far."

It wasn't even two seconds before all traces of anger disappeared from the girl's face. She blinked again, startled. Then her blush returned, but it was one of happiness this time, and she smiled widely, giving an eager nod as a sign of acceptance of the other's apology.

Ichiru hid another smirk while Zero smiled at the scene and Kaname merely chuckled in amusement.

The rest was more or less uneventful. As the remaining vampires gathered, the three teens got on with their task of escorting the group to their new residence. All in all, it was safe to say that it went smoothly and for Ichiru, even pleasantly, as he was contently talking with his twin while Yuuki kept the stupid pureblood busy with her inquiries and carefree babbling. The vampire's gaze kept wandering from his companion and into obvious direction – Ichiru had to wonder briefly whether Kaname was even paying attention to the auburn-haired girl's words. However, the younger Kiryuu seemed to be the only one who…ah, no, it looked like that weird, constantly smiling and overly cheerful blond noble also had noticed the pureblood's distraction, judging by a few confused glances he had sent the said individual's way throughout their walk.

Not that Ichiru cared, it was Kuran's problem after all, so…

What did bother him though, was another blond vampire that was beginning to seriously get on his nerves. And if the way Zero's form was steadily tensing was anything to go by, the ex-human could tell he wasn't alone in his discomfort.

Finally, after another minute or so, Ichiru had had enough, "What _now_, _shorty_?" Honestly, it was creeping him out already. That blondie was staring at them like they were some kind of freaks. What the hell was his problem?

"Sh-shorty?" came the indignant exclamation, the noble's blue eyes widened and cheeks turned red as he sputtered, "H-how dare you!"

"Don't change the subject and play innocent. _You _were the one burning holes in our backs. It's damn annoying."

The Level B huffed, crossing his arms defensively and turning away, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, right. Are you some kind of creep or something?"

That surely made his attention snap back to the Kiryuus, "What!"

"Aidou…" came Kaname's quiet, eerily calm voice. Needless to say, his tone was far from light and happy. The same could be said about his aura that suddenly darkened and made the temperature around him drop a bit.

"No, Kaname-sama, you got it wrong! It's not true! He is shamelessly lying!" the blond tried to defend himself, pointing his finger at Ichiru accusingly. The twins blinked simultaneously at the other's childish action.

_'Seriously?'_ they thought in unison.

"Am I now?" Ichiru replied out loud, one silver eyebrow going up skeptically. He turned to his counterpart then, "Right, Zero-nii?"

"Mm," Zero nodded, frowning slightly as his gaze rested on the blushing noble. "It was creepy."

"Aidou…" Oh, it got even colder. Both the tone and the temperature. The blond vampire went rigid under Kaname's steady gaze and the twins actually felt kind of sorry for the poor thing. "…We will talk later," the pureblood said conclusively after a few long moments of wordless staring, then turned away and went further ahead, ignoring Aidou altogether.

"Kaname-samaa…" the blond whined, left behind by the rest of the group as well.

Such was their first encounter with the Night Class of the newly established Cross Academy. For everyone, it was another, bigger step towards co-existence. For Kaname, however, more than anything, it meant moving onto another stage of his plans – the ones that had been put in motion so long ago. The only problem was…

The pureblood stopped in his tracks before the heavy double gates that separated the building of the Moon Dormitory from the rest of the school campus. He turned around slightly, looking over his shoulder. Garnet eyes caught familiar lavender ones before their owner had a chance to fully turn and walk away, and for that Kaname was rewarded with a small yet unchangingly soft and breathtaking smile that always managed to make pleasant warmth spread in his chest. Without hesitation, the brunet responded with a faintest of smiles of his own, and it stayed on his lips even when Zero's back was to him as the silver-haired teen went away with his two siblings.

_The problem was that…_

"Kaname?" came Takuma's voice, but the brunet vampire didn't respond, his attention still on the retreating back of the older Kiryuu.

_He wasn't certain that was what he wanted anymore…_

**-o-**

"They seemed quite interesting."

"Hm? What are you talking about, Takuma?"

"The twins of course," the blond noble replied happily, a bright smile never leaving his face. "It was my first time seeing the real thing, so it surprised me how much alike they were. I guess it was the same for Aidou."

"Is that so…" came the somewhat distracted reply.

"You're so mean, Kaname. Hiding them even from me."

"I did no such thing," the pureblood answered calmly, his eyes closed as he rested his cheek on his bent fingers, his free hand dropping two blood tablets in a glass of red wine.

Why didn't Ichijou quite believe it?

Still, he only sighed in defeat, replying, "Alright, if you say so."

"Why don't I find your tone quite convincing, I wonder?"

"Ugh," the blond let out a nervous little laugh. "A-anyway, aren't you excited about this whole school thing? I really can't wait for the first term to start," Takuma said, evading his friend's question, and in a painfully obvious manner at that too. Kaname lifted a questioning eyebrow at such a weak attempt at changing the subject, but didn't say anything about it otherwise, deciding to move on with the conversation as well.

"Yes, I suppose I am." He really was _kind of _excited about this change in their lives. But just a bit. And let's face it, for all the wrong reasons that he would rather keep quiet about. Plus he was glad to finally get out of _that house_, where he had been under constant surveillance since the very first day he arrived there a long time ago.

"Takuma…"

The blond hummed in acknowledgment, then turned to the brunet vampire, replying, "What is it, Kaname?"

"Remind me when 'this whole school thing', as you put it, starts, would you?"

"Hmm… In about two weeks, I believe," the noble answered after a second of thinking. "Why?"

"…No reason," was what Kaname said, but Ichijou didn't fail to catch a thoughtful expression that appeared on his friend's features as he turned his gaze from his burgundy drink towards the chessboard that stood on his mahogany table.

**-o- **

It was in the middle of the night that Kaname felt it – one familiar presence that was not where it was supposed to be at this hour, but was, for some reason, wandering through the Academy grounds.

Distracted, the pureblood paused in making a move with the chess piece he was holding, his gaze turning from the said object towards the large window of his spacious study room. A slight frown appeared on his features as Kaname continued looking into the distance, slightly confused yet curious about the reason why the teen was outside, and evidently worried about the said individual.

Automatically putting down the forgotten by now chess piece, the brunet vampire got up and, without a second thought, left the room.

It took him only a few minutes to get to his destination, which, quite frankly, surprised him to say the least. He knew his senses couldn't be mistaken, but…

_'What on e__arth is Zero doing at the stables, of all places, and at such an hour?'_ Kaname thought, taking in his surroundings. Before long he spotted the familiar head of silver locks that stood out even in pitch darkness, and involuntarily, the corners of his lips went slightly up in a soft smile.

The boy's back was to him as he stood near one of the horses, the pure white one, and petted it gently. For about a minute, the brunet stood where he was, content with just watching the older Kiryuu twin. At some point in time, however, his legs decided to move forward and, transfixed, the pureblood stepped closer to the silver-haired teen. Zero still hadn't noticed his presence, as Kaname was concealing it perfectly as he always did, but it looked like the same couldn't be said about the boy's…companion.

He stopped in his tracks sharply as the horse neighed and stepped slightly away, now evidently restless upon sensing the predator that the vampire was. Dark eyebrows arched in surprise at that. Kaname was sure he had suppressed his presence completely – even Zero with his exceptional hunter senses hadn't picked up on it.

"Lily…?" Zero's quiet voice sounded, laced with concern and slight confusion, attracting the brunet's attention back to the silver-haired boy. "What is it, Lily?" he tried soothingly in an attempt to pacify the mare, his hand stroking the side of its massive head reassuringly. It worked to an extent, but it was apparent that the animal was still a bit restless. Which wasn't surprising, really – Kaname was certain it wouldn't calm down so long as he was in such close vicinity.

For a split second there, the pureblood had half a mind to simply disappear and leave the two alone. However, not for the first time, his body ignored his mind and acted of its own accord, and before he was aware of it, he spoke.

"It must be me," he said simply, answering Zero's question in the mare's stead.

Wide from surprise lavender eyes met his the next moment and Kaname scolded himself internally when his breath hitched involuntarily. God, it was frustrating, such uncontrollable responses of his own body. His displeasure with himself was pushed to the back of his mind the next second however, as the brunet's attention returned to the teen before him when the latter uttered his name softly in acknowledgement.

"Why are you…" Zero started, but paused, leaving his question unfinished and changing it to another one instead, "What do you mean?"

"It senses the predator – in other words, myself – and reacts to it accordingly."

"_She_," the younger teen replied, continuing when the brunet vampire gave him a faint frown and tilted his head slightly to the side in silent question, "_She _feels, not _'it'_. And her name is Lily. White Lily."

Kaname's garnet orbs cleared in understanding and he nodded. Zero sent him a soft smile, then turned to the horse and spoke to her this time, "Lily, that is Kaname. It's okay, he isn't dangerous," the boy spoke calmly, trying to placate the mare. On the other side, the pureblood let out a bitter chuckle internally at the silver-haired teen's previous statement. Oh if only… "He is a friend, so be good to him, okay?" Zero finished, bringing his forehead to Lily's and continuing to caress her reassuringly.

Kaname blinked, bewildered.

It looked like the trick actually worked, unexpectedly, as the mare seemed considerably calmer now, in spite of his presence.

"Kaname?" Zero called, successfully averting the vampire's attention from Lily once more. The young hunter's gaze was somewhat expectant as it rested on him, and Kaname blinked again, his head tilting gently to the side in question. He received a warm smile and an amused chuckle in response to his actions, before Zero gestured with his head for him to come closer.

Kaname's eyes widened a fraction in comprehension, but he hesitated, unsure of himself. His gaze flickered to Lily unconsciously for a second, and it was Zero's turn to blink as he got the message. The silver-haired teen let out another chuckle, a bit surprised yet rather amused that even Kaname seemed somewhat apprehensive of going near the white horse.

"Come on, she won't bite," the younger teen said, but the pureblood still didn't look convinced. So Zero added, "I promise. I'll make sure of it."

Kaname was still reluctant, but gave in nevertheless, unable to deny the other. Hesitantly, he made a few steps towards the silver-haired boy and the white mare, but stopped in his tracks when the latter made a snorting noise and stamped the ground, clearly agitated and uncomfortable with him getting any closer. The pureblood began to retreat, but Zero stopped him from doing it, saying that it was alright. The boy stroked Lily's massive head tenderly, speaking to her in a soft, quiet voice, his tone soothing.

The brunet watched the scene curiously, amazed that the hunter's actions actually managed to calm Lily down eventually. Before he realized, Kaname was standing near the two, still a bit cautious but somewhat...excited as well. It was a new, foreign feeling for him, but he rather enjoyed it.

"Don't just stand like that," Zero said, chuckling lightly in amusement. "You can pat her too, you know."

Again, the pureblood stayed silent, his uncertain gaze flickering to the younger teen. Understanding the other's hesitance, the silver-haired hunter only smiled softly, before deciding to help the poor soul that stood near him. Without a second thought, he reached out and took Kaname's hand in his, not missing the way the older male tensed but dismissing it, reasoning with himself that the brunet just wasn't used to others touching him so freely – others than Yuuki, that is. Nevertheless, not really minding the vampire's response, he continued guiding the said male's hand to Lily's head slowly, careful not to spook the horse. She really wasn't used to anyone other than him, after all.

The beautiful mare let out a small sound of slight discomfort when Kaname's hand, still covered with Zero's, was placed on her, but otherwise stayed put as the silver-haired teen kept stroking her soothingly, his presence reassuring her.

"See? Not scary at all," the hunter said quietly, a smile still playing on his lips.

"I wasn't scared," Kaname replied, and Zero was pretty sure he heard a pout in his voice. He couldn't help a small chuckle that escaped him at that.

"Yeah, right."

"I was not," and he definitely was _not _pouting right now. "It is just…foreign to me."

He stroked Lily's head absently, and a small smile of his own made its way on the brunet's features. It really _was _foreign to him. But it felt kind of…nice. Especially with Zero here with him, so close...

"Is she yours?" Kaname asked, returning his burgundy orbs to Zero.

"Yeah. Cross lets me take care of her since she doesn't let anyone else near her," the boy replied, giving the mare a fond look before turning to the pureblood, his smile turning into a smirk, "She has quite a temper, as you might have noticed."

Kaname chuckled, "Oh, I certainly have."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence for some time, just enjoying each other's presence and continuing to give Lily their attention. But then the pureblood broke it by asking the question that had been on his mind from the moment he had sensed the other's presence outside of Cross's residence.

"It is quite late…" he started, "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Mm," Zero nodded, "But I couldn't sleep, so I came here. It always helps."

_''Always'...?'_ Kaname repeated internally to himself, concluding from the younger teen's words that it wasn't the first time he left the house in the middle of the night to come here due to occasional insomnia.

"I see…" the pureblood trailed off before adding, a small frown creasing his brows as he regarded the silver-haired boy, "But it is dangerous, Zero-kun. Especially now when there are…" he didn't finish, knowing that the other understood perfectly well what he meant to say.

Zero faked hurt, "Surely you don't think that some vamp can win against me just like that? I'm almost a full-fledged hunter, you know."

Kaname smiled, a hearty chuckle escaping him, "I know. And of course I don't doubt your hunter abilities. I am certain you can fend for yourself just fine. But still…"

"Yeah, I get it." The boy sent him another warm smile, "Thank you."

To which the brunet nodded wordlessly, giving a smile of his own in response.

"Your friends seemed interesting," Zero said after a short while, suddenly remembering the group and chuckling quietly to himself.

"Friends?" Kaname blinked, not quite understanding who the other was referring to.

"Yeah, especially that blond, the short one."

_'Oh…' _the brunet thought as realization hit him, _'Friends…' _

In all honesty, he wasn't so sure he could quite refer to them as such, but for the time being, he easily dismissed the wording, choosing to continue their conversation instead. These small details hardly mattered right now anyway.

"Ichiru will have lots of fun teasing him," came Zero's next words, and the pureblood couldn't help chuckling at the mental image that popped up in his head all of a sudden – of the younger Kiryuu poking fun at the hot-headed blond. Kaname was sure it would be highly amusing to witness.

"That one was Aidou," he answered, barely stifling another chuckle, "And yes, Ichiru-kun won't be disappointed, trust me."

"Oh? So you entertained yourself with picking on the poor thing as well?" Zero inquired, his tone playful and a wide grin on his face.

"Of course I did," Kaname replied with an innocent look in his eyes. "Although I am fairly sure I was always more merciful than the two of you."

Zero let out a small laugh, "So you noticed and played along earlier, huh?"

"Only partly." The noble had _indeed _been rather intrusive after all. So he deserved a little punishment in the pureblood's eyes. _And _it had been entertaining for Kaname as well.

"How cruel. I'm starting to feel sorry for the poor guy all over again," yet even saying that, he never stopped smiling.

"Whatever do you mean, Zero-kun?" the brunet shot back, blinking innocently and feigning confusion.

In response to which the silver-haired teen only raised an eyebrow in amusement, letting his gaze rest on the pureblood for a few more moments before averting his mirth-filled eyes with another hearty chuckle just in time to miss the genuine smile and the look of adoration that Kaname secretly sent him.

**-o-**

He had lost track of time yet again, and it was only a couple of hours later that Kaname returned to his new residence in the Moon Dormitory.

He was back in his study once more, standing in complete darkness near his massive desk and looking at the figures on the chessboard, his gaze contemplative. He stayed that way for some time, lost in his thoughts, his slender fingers tracing some of the beautifully carved chess pieces absent-mindedly.

He pondered about the last few hours, then about the last few years, inevitably ending up going over the most part of his life. He thought about all his initial plans, about all his intentions and wishes, feelings, not so recent revelations and rather shocking realizations, fears and denials. Once again, he reminded himself of his thoroughly schemed, _perfect_ – as he had deemed it until some point in time – plan and its supposed results that he had once upon a time wanted- no, _yearned _to achieve. Only to realize that a large and most important part of it really _had _lost its purpose, and not just now or recently, but quite a while ago, even if he hadn't wanted to admit it for a relatively long period of time.

_Which, inevitably, only led to realization that..._

The pureblood's fingers left the figures on the chessboard, going towards the edge of the board itself, where they glided along the smooth surface carefully. For a few more seconds, he let his thoughtful gaze rest on it, before his garnet orbs cleared as he came to final conclusion.

_He could no longer deny the fact that it wasn't what he wanted anymore..._

Slowly, Kaname moved his hand forward, thus pushing the checkered board with everything on top of it towards the edge of the table until the laws of physics did their job and he withdrew his hand.

_Just as he couldn't continue fooling himself into thinking otherwise any longer..._

The expensive items landed, and for a few seconds, the pureblood just stared at them silently, before just as wordlessly, he turned on his heels and headed to his room and out of the study, leaving the overturned chessboard and its chess pieces scattered on the floor.


	8. Impending Changes

_**A/N: **Alright, this one came out much, much later that I expected and wanted. And I'm truly sorry for that *bows* But even so, I still did my best. And this chapter is a bit longer too, so..._

_Anyway, I hope you will enjoy it :) As always, I thank all you lovelies for reading, reviewing and adding either me or my story or both to your favs and alerts – it makes me incredibly happy when you do so. _

_About next update, can't promise anything since I'm going abroad in about a week and will stay there for a few weeks. But I'll still continue working on my stories and will do my best to update sooner. So for now, please just pray for me because I'm scared out of my wits at the very prospect of flying – seriously, people, it will be the greatest and hardest trial for my heart. _

_Okay, sorry for all that, I'm just nervous already. _

_Anyway, disclaimer, warnings and etc remain the same. Please enjoy! :D_

**Chapter 8: Impending Changes **

"You again, huh…" Ichiru said unhappily, tsking in clear irritation at seeing the pureblood. But he opened the door to let the said vampire in nonetheless. "What are you, a stalker or something? Don't you have anything else to do?"

Kaname's brow twitched.

As usual, such a warm greeting. It had been a while since he got one. And he wouldn't lie that he did _not _miss it in the slightest.

Letting out a deep sigh internally, the pureblood answered with a pleasant smile, promptly ignoring the other's displeased comments and more than just insulting questions. He was more than used to such attitude by now, and it wasn't like he came here to see the younger Kiryuu anyway, so he would dismiss it. "Why, it is nice to see you too, Ichiru-kun."

"Yeah, like I would buy that crap," Ichiru scoffed, turning away from the older teen and waving his hand dismissively, already on his way out of the hallway. "If you came to see Yuuki, she should be somewhere in the kitchen, but I would guess..." he paused, stopping in his tracks briefly and looking over his shoulder coldly, "You're here to see _him _again, aren't you?"

He received another empty smile from the brunet, before getting the actual reply to his question, "As always, your guess is correct."

Ichiru's brow twitched involuntarily in irritation. _That bastard and his stupid fake smiles..._"Too bad for you then. Zero is not here. He is visiting _them _today."

_''Them'...?' _Kaname blinked in slight confusion before realization dawned on him and he uttered a quiet and evidently disappointed, "Oh...is that so..."

"Yeah. Well, then..." Ichiru trailed off, fully turning away and waving his hand dismissively – it was more than clear that for him the short conversation was over.

Kaname couldn't agree more. Thus he, too, was about to be on his way out, when all of a sudden, before he knew what he was doing, he blurted out, "Why do you never go there with him?"

At that question the younger Kiryuu stopped in his tracks, his shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly, but the pureblood caught the slight change in his posture nevertheless. The boy didn't reply, neither did he make a move to face him. Kaname continued, "They were _your_ parents as well. And you know Zero-kun would like it if you visited them too."

"Oh?" Ichiru finally responded verbally, his lips going slightly up in a mocking smile as he turned around slowly to the brunet vampire, his gaze cold and unwavering. "And you assume that because?"

"...I can see it."

"Of course..." the silver-haired teen let out a mirthless chuckle that sent an unpleasant involuntary shiver down the pureblood's spine. "Of course, after all, you've been watching him so _attentively _these last few years there's no way you wouldn't notice, huh?"

Kaname's fingers curled into a fist at his side. The way the hunter spoke to him just now, the words he chose...it graved on his nerves somehow.

"Tell me, Kuran, did you have _that_ much fun? So much so that you completely switched from Yuuki to my brother in no time? Or is it that you just got bored with Yuuki and decided to try something new for once?"

The brunet's eyes widened briefly before narrowing in anger. Now the boy was simply going overboard and Kaname did not appreciate such treatment. "Do watch your mouth, Ichiru-kun. I don't like what you are implying."

"_'Implying'_? Oh no, I am openly stating my opinion. There are no hidden implications in _my _words," the ex-human shot back, smile still playing on his lips, now more cruel than just mocking. Crossing his arms over his chest, Ichiru continued, "But your stalkerish tendencies and unhealthy obsession with my brother aside, why don't you leave us alone? Go back to silently pining for Yuuki, be all overprotective of _her_, then get her and live together happily ever after. That was your original intention, wasn't it?"

"'Unhealthy obsession', you say...?" It was Kaname's turn to emit a humorless chuckle, his expression darkened a bit as a cold smile of his own made its way on his perfect features. He continued speaking, his voice quiet and surprisingly calm, "How funny to hear it, coming from _you _of all people..."

"Oh? So you noticed?" Ichiru replied simply, unfazed.

"It was hard not to. I did keep an eye on you too after all, as a potential danger to Yuuki."

The younger Kiryuu scoffed at that, evidently amused by the statement, "Yeah right, like I have nothing else to do other than concerning myself with harming some girl I hardly know and, frankly, don't give a damn about."

Well, Kaname certainly got it by now already. So he wasn't so worried about that anymore. "Because all you care about is your brother...I presume?"

"Correct. Everyone else doesn't matter. So long as they don't get in my way, that is."

For a few long seconds, the brunet remained silent, both slightly bewildered and rather unsettled with such unwavering, confident answer. There wasn't even a hint of hesitation in it, and for some reason, it caused an unpleasant, sickening feeling to arise in the pit of his stomach. Then after another while, he spoke quietly, his face expressionless once more, hiding his inner uneasiness, "...Was that what they did? They got in your way...?"

It took a couple of moments for the words to fully sink in, and when they did, Ichiru stiffened, his eyes widening a fraction and smile disappearing along with every ounce of mirth and mockery altogether. Silence fell over the two then. However, it wasn't long before Ichiru recovered from his initial shock and regained his confidence once again. His smirk returned, now wider and crueler than before.

"So you do know, huh...What a surprise."

"You don't seem surprised."

"Maybe I am not," the younger teen shrugged, closing his lavender orbs momentarily. "I thought you would dig it out eventually. You just _have to _know everything, don't you, Kuran?"

"...So you are not denying anything." Not that Kaname really expected him to though.

"Why? It _is_ true after all. What's the point of denying it now and in front of _you _of all people?"

"Oh..." was all Kaname could give in response to that. In all honesty, he had no idea how to react to such behavior – even _he _couldn't understand how one of human race could be like...that. It left him baffled to say the least. Didn't the boy feel even the slightest regret about what he had done...?

"No. I don't," came the younger vampire's voice all of a sudden, and the brunet snapped out of his musings, a small frown of confusion creasing his brows. He didn't get what the other meant at first, but then it dawned on him that he had unconsciously voiced out his last internal question.

The pureblood returned his attention to the younger Kiryuu's face once more, finding the expression there as void of any emotion as the teen's voice had been when he replied previously.

"I do regret bringing Zero so much pain," _he always had, still did and probably always would_, "but nothing else. I did what I did because I _wanted _to do it, and I never had second thoughts about my decision. And _he _still accepts me, despite knowing all that. He may disagree with me and a lot of my actions, but he still wants me by his side, no matter what. That's all that has significance for me." Ichiru finished, cold impassiveness disappearing from his features only to be replaced by open smugness as a slow, arrogant smirk appeared on his face. Mockery was apparent in his tone when he resumed speaking next, "Now tell me, Kuran, can _you_ say the same about yourself? Do you honestly believe that he would actually choose _you _over _me_?"

Kaname's form tensed slightly at those questions, his fists tightening almost imperceptibly as he tried to hide how much Ichiru's words affected him. Unfortunately for him though, it was in vain, as the other picked up on the changes in his posture right away, courtesy of his exceptional observant skills.

"Of course," Ichiru said, his smirk never vanishing, "Just as I thought."

The pureblood couldn't take it anymore. And he didn't plan to do so. This talk was a bad, _very _bad idea in the first place and he _knew _he should have never even started it. But yet again, his curiosity got the better of him and, once again, led him to _this_. To feeling these unnecessary, unbearable emotions that he certainly did not want to experience. It was frustrating, to say the least. The _truth _was frustrating, to say the least, especially when it was thrown in your face so mercilessly.

"I think it is time for me to take my leave," Kaname uttered quietly, his gaze leaving the younger boy as he turned away to head for the door. He couldn't bear with that particular _truth_, at least not at the moment, so he chose to run away from it and try to ignore it for as long as he needed. Because he couldn't bring himself to give up, not now and not anytime soon. "I apologize for bothering you."

"Why, not going to stay this time? I'm sure _Yuuki_ would be delighted to see you," the younger teen continued in a cruelly mocking tone, then added, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning on the nearest wall, his shoulders lifting in an indifferent shrug, "Maybe even Zero will too, who knows?"

Kaname stopped in his tracks momentarily upon hearing Ichiru's words, but didn't turn around. His burgundy eyes narrowed slightly and for a briefest of moments, pain flashed across his perfect features, but he was quick to recover and hide his small slip. He was only thankful that the silver-haired youth couldn't see it. He seriously doubted he could take any more of this...humiliation.

After a few seconds, the pureblood replied, "...Maybe some other time."

"Oh," Ichiru replied uncaringly with smile still very much evident in his tone. His amethyst eyes shifting away from the older vampire before sliding closed, the boy gave another light shrug and pushed himself away from the wall. "I see. Well then..." He headed deeper inside the house then, and soon was gone from the hallway, leaving Kaname, who also disappeared after only a couple of seconds, alone.

Ichiru's smile widened further as he heard the soft click indicating that the entrance door was closed. Involuntarily, a heartily chuckle escaped him at that. Who could have though that he would ever be able to have _this_ much fun at Kuran's expense...? It certainly lifted his mood considerably.

"Ichiru?" came soft feminine voice from somewhere to his left, halting the teen in his tracks. It was Yuuki who had called him, having just emerged from her room. She looked around, but apparently not finding what she had been looking for, the girl frowned slightly before turning back to the older boy, "Did Kaname-sama come? I thought I heard his voice…"

Internally, the silver-haired vampire let out a long sigh, also mentally rolling his eyes.

_Of course. _So long as it concerned her beloved prince, she would hear, see and notice everything. Except for the painfully obvious, that is. How ironic. And very amusing for the younger Kiryuu. Maybe it _was _time for him to..."He did. But he left right away."

"Eh? B-but why...?" in just a few moments, the little brunet's expression changed from happy and hopeful to confused and disappointed, and then to angry as an idea came to her mind, "You didn't say anything rude to him again, did you?"

"Even if I did, so what? It's not like he cares anyway."

"Stupid! Of course he does!" Yuuki exclaimed, clearly upset and irritated at her adoptive brother. "I'm sure he left because of it!"

Yeah, right. "Are you stupid? I had nothing to do with that." Which was true. Only partly, of course, but so what? All he did was state his opinion. And he told the pureblood nothing but pure truth. "Besides, there's no reason for you to get so upset. It wasn't like he came to see you anyway."

"Huh…? But..." Yuuki's brows drew together in a puzzled frown. She blinked innocently, asking, "What are you talking about?"

At that, a slow smirk made its way on Ichiru's lips as he thought to himself, _'Ah well, why not indeed? Could be fun too...' _

"He left when I said that _Zero_ wasn't around," he said uncaringly, continuing on his way and going past a still evidently perplexed Yuuki, who also headed towards her own destination with a light shrug just a couple of seconds later.

It took the girl a good few minutes to realize what it was that Ichiru had been implying with his words. And when she did, she froze immediately, completely stopping in her tracks in the middle of the kitchen, her eyes wide with disbelief. Somewhere in the background, she heard the kettle start to whistle, signaling that the water there had boiled, but it was the last thing on her mind as she stood in her place, stunned.

Unconsciously, the brunet clutched the porcelain cup in her hands tighter, murmuring quietly in shocked disbelief, "It can't be..."

**-o-**

He had been walking for a while now. With no actual destination in mind and not really caring where his legs would bring him – that was the least of his concerns at the moment.

He knew he was a complete fool for slipping like that and letting Ichiru and his words get to him so easily. But he couldn't help it. For the first time in his life, he did feel so uncharacteristically insecure about something, to the point of becoming lost and not knowing what action he should take next, not knowing what action was even right to begin with anymore. He had never imagined he could become such a... pathetic _mess_, to put it lightly. And because of just one little _human _too, who also so happened to be a vampire hunter by birth at that.

Now, could it get any more ironic?

Involuntarily, Kaname let a bitter chuckle slide past his lips that were curved into a small, mirthless smile, attracting a few confused glances from some passer-byes. But he hardly noticed the curious looks and puzzled frowns that were given to him then. The brunet just continued walking somewhat blindly, still lost in his musings and oblivious to his surroundings.

If someone had told him a few years back that such a thing would happen to him, that one human child would unknowingly manage to reduce his normally confident and naturally powerful, composed and pretty much invincible pureblood self to _this _lovestruck idiot who not only had serious problems with giving up when he knew he needed to, but also acquired a few disturbing habits concerning the aforementioned object of his affections, he would have openly laughed in their face – never mind his high status and impeccable manners. The very idea was just absurd and impossible. And it sounded _ridiculous_, to say the least. Especially when you took into account his personal traits of character and absolute self-control.

Who could have thought that the impossible would happen and there would come a time when his own heart would rebel against its master and betray him so cruelly like that? Who could have thought that, as it turned out, he was just like everyone else in that aspect...? That he was just a man with an uncontrollable heart with a mind and desires of its own...

Unconsciously, one of the pureblood's hands went up and settled over his chest, rubbing at the area lightly as internally, Kaname silently cursed the treacherous thing that was beating there.

For a few more seconds, the brunet stayed like that, before finally beginning to come to his senses, as his clouded eyes cleared and he looked around briefly, taking in his surroundings at long last. Only to realize that it looked like he was a bit...well, maybe not quite 'a bit', but positively lost. Everything around him seemed unfamiliar, no matter where he looked. The pureblood definitely hadn't been in this part of the town before. Not that he visited it so often anyway, and if he did, he certainly didn't do it on foot.

Sure there was no reason for him to get worried or anything, as he knew he could easily find his way back, but still...the situation was slightly...unpleasant. Not to mention how stupid and completely uncharacteristic of him it was.

Kaname heaved a long sigh of frustration, his eyes closing and fingers going to massage the bridge of his nose tiredly. The evening just got better and better with every passing minute, now didn't it? The pureblood wondered briefly what else could be coming his way. He really was in no mood to deal with any more unpleasant incidents right now. It would be better to just go back to the academy and–

"Kaname?"

Burgundy eyes immediately snapped wide open upon hearing that familiar, sweet voice call out his name softly. For a moment there, he froze, suddenly caught completely off guard. He hadn't even noticed the other approach.

In his mind, the brunet cursed uncharacteristically. It just _had to _happen so that when, for once, their meeting actually _was _pure coincidence, he was at his worst.

Mentally muttering another curse, Kaname secretly took a deep calming breath, then turned slowly to face the silver-haired boy behind him. Without fail, a soft smile automatically made its way on the pureblood's lips when he saw the said person's face.

"Zero-kun, what a coincidence," he said smoothly, easily hiding his slight nervousness. "You are on your way home, I presume?"

For a moment, a faint frown crossed the boy's features, and Kaname blinked, his smile falling and brows drawing together briefly in confusion. However, it all disappeared the next second when he was given a warm smile and a silent nod in response to his question, which also made his worries about whether he had said or done something wrong to cause the older Kiryuu's previous reaction vanish instantly.

"What about you?" Zero asked, tilting his head slightly to the side and coming closer to the brunet male.

"I...um..." Kaname faltered for a short while, and Zero blinked again, his brows drawing together in confusion and slight worry once more. The pureblood was acting weird and seemed somewhat unlike his usual self. In his head, the hunter wondered briefly what was up with the other.

However, Kaname's next words made him completely forget about all his previous musings, and his brows shot up in surprise, eyes widening slightly.

"Come again?" Zero said, uncertain if he had heard right. The brunet vampire's tone had been hushed after all. And he honestly couldn't believe it.

For a few seconds, Kaname hesitated, his gaze lowered a little and directed anywhere but at his companion. Zero was sure if Kaname wasn't, well, _Kaname_, he would have been seeing a blush of embarrassment on his cheeks by now. At least so the brunet's current expression suggested.

"...I went out for a walk and..." the older teen finally said, this time louder, but his voice still got quieter by the end of his sentence, "...I got lost." Nevertheless, Zero had managed to catch every word and he knew that he _had _heard _that _right. Which first made him just stare at the pureblood for some time, before he burst into a fit of chuckles, barely preventing them from turning into an outright laughter. His shoulders shook from the effort.

If Kaname's cheeks hadn't turned red before, now they were certainly closer to it than ever. He let out a sigh of frustration, averting his eyes further. A pout was evident in his voice when he spoke next.

"Well, I'm glad you find my predicament so funny." Great, just _great_. Could it get any more mortifying?

"Sorry," the hunter paused as another couple of chuckles escaped him, then continued, trying his hardest not to start laughing again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. It's just that...I would have never thought that something like that could ever happen to _you_. So yeah. Sorry, but it _is _very funny."

"Of course it is," Kaname mumbled under his nose.

"Are you sulking there now?"

The pureblood's gaze turned to Zero sharply, finally meeting the boy's lavender eyes that were filled with unconcealed mirth. A faint frown appeared on the vampire's features as he replied, "I am not."

"Oh no, you so _are_."

"I am _not_," Kaname insisted stubbornly. "I don't sulk. I don't _know _how to sulk."

"Yet it doesn't prevent you from doing it," the younger teen said, chuckling heartily once more.

Kaname chose not to deny that one, knowing that it was probably true, even if he was reluctant to admit it. Yet in spite of his discomfort and understandable embarrassment, he was already feeling better, and the anxiety that had been previously consuming him, was now almost completely gone. All thanks to only one individual that was standing right beside him.

"Let's go then," came Zero's voice all of a sudden, pulling Kaname out of his musings. And without waiting for an answer from the other, the hunter moved forward.

Kaname blinked. "Go?" His head tilted to the side ever so slightly, brows drawing together in a barely visible frown as he asked his next question, "Where to?" Not that it really mattered, as he was already following the silver-haired teen, also not waiting for the reply to his inquiry.

"Nowhere," came the quiet answer, small smile still playing on the boy's lips. "I just want to wander around some more." Zero paused momentarily, turning to Kaname in sudden realization, "If you don't mind, that is. Is there some place you need to be? We can go back to the academy if you want."

"No," the pureblood replied immediately, maybe even too quickly, judging by the slightly startled look he got from Zero. Flustered by such behavior on his part, Kaname averted his gaze and cleared his throat, before resuming speaking after a few moments, "No, it's alright. I would love to accompany you." _More than you could ever think, _he mentally added, giving the younger teen a gentle, genuine smile.

Which Zero reciprocated with one of his own. Then he gave a slight nod and the two resumed walking unhurriedly. Comfortable silence fell over them for some time, during which both males just enjoyed the quietness and each other's somewhat soothing presences. It was only broken when Kaname spoke after a while.

"How do you find your new school life, Zero-kun?"

The boy emitted a thoughtful hum, considering the question for a moment before replying a bit absently, "It's fine. Though the whole patrolling thing is a bit of a strain. The lack of sleep is seriously starting to get to us."

"I didn't realize it was such a struggle," the pureblood said honestly, genuinely surprised and now also concerned. "But I did notice that Ichiru-kun seems to be more...um..." How should he put it? "Irritated lately." Yeah, to put it lightly.

Zero couldn't help chuckling at that. "It's funny how you chose to put _'royally pissed'_." Because that was exactly how Ichiru had been recently. Not that Zero didn't understand him, as he himself felt pretty much the same way. It was only thanks to his twin that he still hadn't snapped – he was too busy placating his counterpart, which, in turn, calmed him and lifted his spirits as well. "Can't blame him though. Those crazy fangirls _are _worse than devil himself. And _some _of you don't really help us too," the silver-haired teen said, giving Kaname a pointed look and a playfully raised eyebrow.

The brunet let out an amused chuckle. "Oh, you mean my constant headache." That was his new name for Aidou. The blond was worse than a spoiled child who wasin _constant _need of attention. "Unfortunately for all of us, it looks like even I am unable to control him quite well." That turquoise-eyed wonder was just too good at causing troubles. "But you two seem to handle him just fine."

"Mm," Zero nodded. Then a soft chuckle escaped him as he remembered something. "He makes a nice outlet for one's irritation. _And _it's very entertaining to watch Ichiru tease him."

"I thought it's what they call _'bully'_ these days, not _'tease'_," Kaname tilted his head, blinking innocently. Yet the mirth in his eyes was more than evident.

"Oh no, so far it's been just teasing, trust me," the boy said, chuckling some more. "Ichiru can do much better than that when he wants to."

"Is that so..." the brunet trailed off, all amusement gone from his tone as he involuntarily recalled his encounter with the younger Kiryuu twin earlier that evening.

Yeah, he couldn't agree more with Zero's previous words. For he had been bestowed with the honorto see for himself how true they were just mere hours ago. It certainly had been a rather convincing experience.

But he shook those thoughts off, not wanting the precious time he so rarely got to spend with Zero to be spoiled by something like that. So he forced a smile back on his lips and resumed speaking, "Well, I hope it won't come to that."

"Only if that _'Idol' _of yours behaves. I was pretty sure that Ichiru was going to test the sharpness of his katana on him a few days back."

Kaname let out a thoughtful hum internally, wondering how _that _would have gone – couldn't help his curiosity.

The hunter continued, "He is lucky to always have that fireball with him."

Another heartily chuckle came from the pureblood. Now that was an interesting nickname in his opinion. "I suppose so. But unfortunately for Kain, same can't be said about him," Kaname replied, his lips quirked in a slight smile.

"Yeah, I always feel sorry for the guy when you take them for their 'punishment' or something." The teen turned his gaze to the brunet then, frowning slightly as he asked, "Why do you punish them both anyway? You know that blondie is the only one at fault."

This time Kaname hummed out loud before answering, "I guess you could call it a habit. They always came together in a package for me." He paused momentarily, looking at the younger teen and shooting him a falsely innocent look with playful smile never leaving his features, "Besides, it _is _his fault for not keeping an eye on his troublesome cousin."

"Or it's just funnier that way, and you don't want to pass up the opportunity to have a nice entertainment at their expense," Zero suggested, inclining his head to the side and raising a brow knowingly. "You do realize that you're bullying them too, right?"

Kaname gave an elegant shrug, his smile widening ever so slightly. "I prefer to call it 'abusing my privileges'."

The hunter snickered at that, the corners of his lips going further upwards in amusement.

"And you?" came Zero's voice again after some more time. When he received an inquiring look and a slight tilt of the head from the pureblood, the boy elaborated, "The school life. How is it? Do you like it?"

"Oh," Kaname blinked in understanding, considering the question for a few moments before replying, "It's...well, it's new. And a bit unusual." His gaze returned to the younger teen then, a tiny smile forming slowly on his lips, "But yes, I think I like it." It was rather fun actually, for various reasons. And he was glad to have finally gotten out of _that _house. He could have never imagined that it would feel _this _good and relieving to be away from it.

"That's good," Zero replied, giving a light nod. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

Oh he certainly was. Especially _this _particular aspect of it, and now more than ever.

A deep chuckle escaped the brunet vampire at his own thoughts, which earned him a questioning look and a rather adorable in his opinion puzzled frown, to which he just responded with a small shrug and a gentle shake of his head, his smile never faltering.

**-o-**

Rapid footsteps, soon followed by Yuuki's somewhat urgent voice was the first thing that greeted the two when they entered Cross's living quarters. With panicked, wide eyes yet evidently relieved expression, the girl ran towards them, saying in a rushed tone, "Zero! Finally you're back! I-" She faltered, stopping in her tracks, the expression on her face changing to one of surprise and confusion. "Kaname-sama...?" Yuuki asked softly, her brows drawing together in a puzzled frown.

Internally, she recalled Ichiru's words from a few hours back, and before she could stop it, her doubts and suspicions were crawling back into her mind.

"Good evening, Yuuki," the pureblood greeted his dear girl with a fond smile on his lips. "I hope you don't mind, Zero-kun invited me to have dinner with you."

"O-of course not...I just..." she trailed off absently, her now slightly doubtful gaze shifting between the two, before settling on the brunet male once more.

Kaname blinked, a faint frown came across his features, while Zero only tilted his head to the side a little in silent question. Yuuki smiled widely then, brushing her current thoughts away for now, and resumed speaking, her usual cheerfulness returned full force, "It's nothing. Please come in, Kaname-sama. I'm so happy that you're here!"

"Thank you. But, um...If you don't mind me asking..."

The little brunet blinked, her smile fading, "Yes?"

The pureblood didn't answer right away, but just stood there silently, seeming to contemplate something with a somewhat uncertain expression on his face. Yuuki frowned at that, perplexed. Her head tilting slightly to the side, she called the older male's name once more, "Kaname-sama?"

"Um..." How should he...

"What on earth happened to you? You look like hell." Well, Zero just did it for him, saving Kaname the trouble. For which the vampire was thankful, as he honestly couldn't find more accurate words to express his thoughts.

At the older Kiryuu's words, the auburn-haired girl visibly paled, a loud gasp escaped her and her small hands immediately shot up to her face and then to her head as she remembered what had happened and why she had been so relieved that Zero was finally home. Internally, Yuuki was panicking even more than before. And she looked positively mortified, to say the least. She couldn't believe she had let her crush see her in such a terrible state. It took all her control and bravery to stay where she was and not just run away and lock herself in her room in utter shame. She could literally feel her face blaze bright red by now.

"Are you alright, Yuuki?" Kaname asked, a bit worried, but secretly amused by the display before him. He had to do his damnedest to keep the huge smirk that was begging to let it come to his face from showing.

"Huh? Oh, um..." the girl stammered, coming out of her momentary daze. Her head bowed slightly, eyes lowering and cheeks going even redder, if it was possible, the girl nodded fiercely and continued with her nervous reply, "I-um, yes, I-I'm fine, it's...It's just..." Uncertainly, the petite brunet lifted her gaze to meet Zero's lavender orbs for a brief second, all the while fidgeting uncomfortably, and it was all the silver-haired teen needed to get the message.

The hunter gave a long sigh, mentally preparing himself for whatever was coming, already expecting the worst, "Okay. Tell me what you did _this _time." Although judging from her state...Dirtied clothes – part of which was an apron that, though _supposed _to be white, was now painted in variety of strangest colors – and face, along with hands, coupled with not _just _messy, but _ridiculously _messy auburn hair that seemed a bit darker in some places spoke volumes. Not to mention that some locks looked...wait a minute, were they actually _burned_?

"It-it's nothing, really, just..." The girl continued fidgeting and laughed sheepishly, her hand going to the back of her head nervously. "Um, you see, we..."

_'We?'_ Zero repeated in his mind. _'Great. Don't tell me that _that _idiot-'_

"Father and I-"

_'is also in on that...' _The hunter finished mentally, groaning very audibly upon hearing the girl's words, his palm covering his face.

Beside him, Kaname stood silently, watching the exchange curiously. He already guessed that something troublesome had happened, but he couldn't get what the big deal was. Surely it couldn't be _that _bad for Zero to look so distressed...

"Well, we saw that really delicious-looking cake in magazine and there also was recipe for it and it seemed so simple..." Another nervous laugh before Yuuki continued, her voice getting quieter and less confident with every word she said. "And, you know, you didn't come back and we were getting hungry...And we had all ingredients too, so...um..."

"And the rest you have already imagined by now, Nii-san." Ichiru's disgruntled voice came all of a sudden, drawing the attention of three other occupants of the hallway.

"I-Ichiru!" Yuuki exclaimed in surprise, whirling around to face the younger Kiryuu and immediately flinching at the stern look he gave her.

After a few seconds, Ichiru let out a deep sigh, then started speaking tiredly, "For fuck's sake, Yuuki. I've been taking that damn bath for, what, half an hour? Forty minutes? How the _hell _did you two clumsy idiots _manage _to cause all _that_?"

_'Oh...' _Zero thought to himself. That further explained _how_.

Kaname's puzzled frown, meanwhile, deepened. From both confusion and disapproval of the younger Kiryuu's choice of words. He contemplated stepping in for a second, but immediately decided against it, reluctant to get involved for some reason. So he continued watching from the side instead.

"I'm sorry..." Yuuki muttered quietly, her head bowed and eyes glued to the ground. She positively looked like a child caught red-handed stealing cookies and being scolded by her strict and very displeased mother. Kaname had to admit, it _was _somewhat entertaining to witness.

"You sure as hell better be. You do realize that neither Zero, nor I will help you two clean up your mess?"

"...Yes," the girl replied almost inaudibly, her head ducking further and shoulders slumping in obvious disappointment.

Unsurprisingly, Ichiru didn't fail to notice it, and his brow twitched in annoyance. "Surely you _did not _think that it would go any other way, now _did _you, Yuuki?"

"O-of course I didn't!" the girl denied immediately, startled, her head snapping up and an uneasy, shaky smile appearing on her face.

"Yeah, right. I won't even pretend that I just bought it."

A long, exhausted sigh sounded then, distracting the two – to Yuuki's delight, and in her head, she thanked her favorite adopted brother for always saving her, even if he did it unconsciously – and attracting their attention to a tired-looking Zero who still stood beside Kaname near the entrance. His eyes closed, the teen shook his head in disbelief.

"Geez, Yuuki. Are you two kids or something?" He scolded the brunet girl, who was already starting pulling off her usual trick on him. But Zero already anticipated it, and he raised his hand, as if to stop the smaller brunet from doing it. "Oh no, don't even think about giving me that puppy-eyed look of yours. You won't get away with it."

And Yuuki actually gave up, for once. Her face fell in disappointment and posture slumped visibly. Zero had to force himself not to give in upon seeing such crestfallen look on the girl's features.

Sighing again, he decided to change the subject, "Where is that walking disaster anyway? Is he hiding or something?" He finally took off his shoes and stepped further into the house, a still silent Kaname following him.

Yuuki lifted her eyes and opened her mouth to reply, but Ichiru beat her to it, gesturing behind himself, "He is in the kitchen, out cold."

That earned an arched eyebrow along with suspicious look from both Kaname and Zero, to which the younger twin replied flatly, "And I have _nothing _to do with that. Don't even care what the hell happened to the idiot."

"Oh," was all the two said, unusually calm and unaffected.

The four went deeper into the house, automatically heading to the kitchen. They reached their destination in no time, and having arrived there, each showed different reaction, but all agreed on one: Cross and Yuuki should be prohibited from entering the kitchen for the rest of their lives. And just in case, when there was no one in the house to look after the two, the room should be firmly locked and sealed so that they wouldn't be able to even peek into it.

"...Alright," Zero finally spoke after prolonged silence. He turned around and began walking away, wanting to forget what his eyes had just witnessed, "We're having take out tonight. I am _not _stepping in there any time soon."

"Agreed," Ichiru answered without a second thought, following his brother into the living room.

Yuuki uttered a quiet _'okay' _and went off to take a much-needed bath, happy to be off the hook for now. And Kaname stood there for a long while, staring at the sight before him unblinkingly in astonishment. To say that he didn't recognize the so familiar place would be one hell of a _huge _understatement. What in the world...?

A small noise caught his attention then, and the pureblood's gaze shifted down only to fall on another _painfully _familiar _object _there. And it was at that moment that he remembered what _disaster _had befallen the room. Kaname blinked, staring at that 'object' blankly for a few seconds, before turning away altogether.

"K-Kana...me-kun..." came the barely audible, pitiful voice. The brunet could easily imagine the shaking hand reaching out for him dramatically as he started walking away silently, ignoring the pleading look he could feel on his back along with another call of his name and a quiet cry for help.

This day couldn't get any weirder.

"Kaname, what would you like?" Zero inquired when the brunet vampire joined the two silver-haired teens in the living room.

Kaname blinked questioningly, tilting his head with a small frown, before he realized what the boy meant.

_'That's right, the food...' _he mentally reminded himself, and was about to reply when the younger twin cut him off with a question of his own.

"Wait a minute. _He_ stays too? _Again_?"

Zero gave a nod, "Mm. I invited him." Then he turned his attention back to the older male, asking, "So?"

Ichiru muttered a string of curses under his nose, obviously unhappy with the discovery. But he didn't argue with his twin, persuaded by the gentle hand that was currently caressing his hair affectionately. So he chose to dismiss the matter and ignore the stupid pureblood's existence for the rest of the evening.

"Whatever," Ichiru muttered, turning away and earning himself a, though well-concealed, but still awfully _annoying _smirk of triumph and self-satisfaction that emanated from the older vampire in waves, which he could _feel _with his skin. With an irritated huff, the younger boy slumped down into his favorite armchair, openly sulking.

Seeing that, Kaname tried to stifle a quiet chuckle of delight, but failed miserably.

Yes, this day certainly couldn't get any weirder. But in the end, it turned out to be much better than he could have ever imagined, in spite of its upsetting and very unsettling start.

For which the pureblood was genuinely thankful.

It was only unfortunate that he didn't have as many of such days left as he would have wanted to.

As somewhere far, a great distance away from the Cross Academy, in an abandoned, long forgotten castle, a lone heartbeat slowly came to life, shattering the deadly silence of a dark, cold room and setting the once frozen clock in motion.

And so right then, at that very instant...

_The countdown started._


	9. Crimson Drops

_**A/N: **__Damn finally! Finally, FINALLY I'm updating this story! *tears of happiness* I know I'm terribly, terribly late with it, and I'm really and truly sorry for it *bows low* __Honestly, I have no idea how the hell it turned out so that it's only now that I am able to post new chapter for this little story of mine. My…ugh, 'journey' was a complete disaster that left me depressed and totally exhausted. Not to mention deprived of _any _motivation whatsoever *shudders just remembering it* And then Uni started and with it came homework and major lack of time and sleep and I think you know – or can guess at the very least – the rest *sighs*_

_But! I'm back, that's for sure, and I'll do my best to update as fast and as frequently as I can *nods* Especially now, when this semester has practically come to its long-awaited end and holidays are just around the corner! Just a few more final pushes and…Muffufu x3_

_Again, sorry for the long wait. _

_As usual, disclaimer stands, warnings remain and all mistakes are mine. Please enjoy! :D _

**Chapter 9: Crimson Drops**

"Ichiru?" Zero's voice sounded after a few light knocks, muffled by the door separating him from the one he was talking to. "Yuuki told me you called me."

"Come on in, nii-san." Ichiru answered, and Zero half-entered the room.

"What is it? Did you want something?"

"Yeah…" the younger twin paused, his expression and eyes turning pleading and Zero _knew _he wouldn't be able to say no to whatever Ichiru was going to ask of him. Well, nothing new there. "I wanted you to wash my back. And hair too while you're at it."

At the last part the older Kiryuu arched an eyebrow. The back he could understand, but hair…

"Aren't you perfectly capable of washing your head on your own?"

"Yeah, but I'm being lazy," Ichiru replied nonchalantly, then added, "And am enjoying it."

Another arch of a silver eyebrow. Zero continued looking at his counterpart silently, unimpressed.

"Come on, nii-san," and here it was, _that _tone that they both knew Zero couldn't resist, coupled with pleading eyes the older teen was also weak against. "It's not like you're busy, and I miss you…I just want to be with you for a bit…"

Zero still refused to yield, but Ichiru's next attack insured his victory in their battle. Unsurprisingly.

"Please?" was all the younger Kiryuu said, and Zero let out a resigned sigh. He really needed to work on resisting Ichiru and his whims.

"Okay, okay…" the older twin answered, fully entering the room and closing the door after himself. He went towards his counterpart, continuing, "Yuuki is right. I _am _spoiling you too much."

"Yuuki can't be right. She is Yuuki after all."

"Well, for once she _is _right."

"Impossible," Ichiru scoffed.

"You just don't want to admit it even though you know it's true," Zero said, rolling up his sleeves and making himself comfortable on the edge of the bathtub.

"That you're spoiling me?"

"Mm," the older of the two nodded, reaching for the shampoo and uncapping it.

"Of course it's true," Ichiru smirked. "And I never miss the opportunity to enjoy it."

"Ichiru…" Zero sighed, trying to make his tone sound reprimanding, but failing miserably. The fond smile that graced his lips didn't help as well.

Comfortable silence fell over the two for a short while, during which Zero began washing his brother's hair, his long fingers massaging the younger teen's scalp gently and skillfully. Ichiru let out a content groan and leaned into the other's touch, shamelessly enjoying every moment of his twin's softness for him yet again. Oh he _loved _being so spoiled by his beloved counterpart.

"Speaking of Yuuki…" Zero started, pulling Ichiru out of his pleasant daze. "Did something happen to her that I don't know of?"

"Hmm…?" Ichiru responded lazily, still very much distracted by the heavenly feeling of his brother's lean fingers in his soapy hair. "What do you mean?" he slurred.

"She's acting weird."

"Is that so? I haven't noticed," the younger teen lied, already guessing what the whole thing was about yet choosing to pretend oblivious. Sure his counterpart didn't have to know that it were _his_ words from a couple weeks back that had caused the girl's latest strange behavior. It was nothing but unnecessary, unimportant details.

Ichiru gave a mental shrug.

Then he continued, "Weird how?"

"I don't know, it's just…She gets strange around me. And her attitude is different." A thoughtful frown creased Zero's forehead as he recalled recent changes in Yuuki's behavior, subtle as they seemed to be.

"Oh…" was all that came from the younger boy.

Zero nodded slowly, his gaze contemplative as he continued massaging his twin's scalp absently.

"Look, just leave her be, nii-san," Ichiru finally said after a few minutes of brooding silence. "It's probably nothing and she is just being Yuuki. I'm sure it's not even worth you worrying about it. Like usual," the teen finished, giving an uncaring shrug of his shoulders.

"Hm…" Zero gave another slow nod, absently.

The two went quiet then, comfortable silence settling between them once more, disturbed only by the sounds of running water as the older teen rinsed the shampoo out of Ichiru's silver locks.

"Here, all done," Zero said after finishing and got up, wiping his hands on his shirt.

Ichiru let out a soft groan of disappointment at the loss of contact. He looked up at his twin and blinked innocently at him, before tilting his head slightly to the side and asking, "What about my back?"

The older Kiryuu blinked.

A quiet sigh escaped him, and he tried his damnedest to look stern as he uttered in what he hoped sounded as scolding tone, "Ichiru…"

"Please?" Okay, surely he would _not _fall for that one _again_.

But Ichiru was merciless, like always. "_Please_, nii-san?"

Again, _that _look and _that_ tone. They made Zero's resistance – or more like some feeble attempt at it – crumble completely.

For the umpteenth time, the older teen internally cursed his soft heart and his counterpart's sneakiness.

He let out a sigh of defeat and took his place on the edge of the bathtub once more, his hand already reaching for the sponge.

Ichiru didn't bother to hide the huge grin that made its way on his face.

**-o-**

"Lately those attacks have become more frequent, and according to the witnesses' words, the attackers were-"

A soft hum interrupted Ichijou in his speech, and he blinked, looking up in slight surprise from the reports in his hands to the pureblood lounging on the red velvet couch lazily with a glass of blood wine in his hand.

"Kaname?" the noble called after a few seconds of silently looking at his friend. When no response came, Takuma frowned, tilting his head slightly to the side. "Kaname, are you listening?" It was a stupid question, as it was pretty obvious that the brunet wasn't paying any attention to his words whatsoever, but he had to try anyway.

Now he seriously doubted that his friend had heard _anything _he had said at all, and that he even knew what the conversation was about for that matter. But thankfully for him, Takuma knew a way to get the pureblood's attention back – and a very entertaining one too, though not so much for Kaname.

"Oh, and also," the noble started in a cheerful voice, his usual smile in place and his emerald eyes twinkling ever so slightly with mischief, "I forgot to tell you, but Yuuki-chan came to see you this morning."

The younger vampire gave another blink when all his words managed to evoke from the brunet was another absent-minded hum. Okay, that wasn't what he expected.

He continued, "But Aidou sent her away. In the most unceremonious manner, might I add."

Still nothing. And this time Takuma couldn't help the genuinely confused frown that came to his features. Now _that _reaction – or rather, the lack of one – was just weird.

Thankfully though, he still had another card up his sleeve. One he was sure would bring him victory.

With a small yet unmistakably evil smile, the blond resumed speaking in a casual tone, "And then he went and picked a fight with Zero-kun, which resulted in him getting his fangs on his blood and-"

Ichijou didn't even manage to finish his sentence when the sound of shattering glass came and interrupted him viciously.

_'Oh my,' _the blond thought, blinking. He didn't see that coming.

"He did _what_?!" Kaname hissed menacingly, already up from his previously relaxed posture and glaring at the noble vampire fiercely, his eyes blazing a dangerous red. Shards of glass were embedded in his palm and burgundy liquid was dripping down his fingers, but the pureblood paid attention to none of those things.

Internally, Ichijou sweatdropped. He let out a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, replying happily, "Oh, so you _were _listening...What was I saying again?"

"Ichijou..." came the pureblood's threatening voice, and this time the blond sweatdropped for real.

He emitted another nervous laugh before replying nonchalantly, "Ah well, whatever it was, it was a lie, so don't worry."

Kaname blinked. Then he frowned, "I beg your pardon?"

"It was all a lie," the blond repeated with his cheerful smile never leaving his face. "Nothing happened and Aidou never left the dorm, so don't worry about it. The day has been rather uneventful so far."

Another blink, then Kaname just stared at the noble wordlessly.

"Ichijou..." the brunet vampire said slowly in a dangerous tone, his gaze darkening along with his aura.

Takuma laughed nervously again, feeling uneasy from the evident drop in the temperature of the room. As he had thought, it wasn't as amusing for Kaname as it was for him.

"But anyway," the blond started, trying to save himself from the pureblood's silent wrath, "Back to the topic at hand, hunters sent someone to get rid of those Level Es in town from their side. Should we send someone from ours as well?"

The distraction didn't seem to work, as Kaname's demeanor didn't change much and he still didn't speak.

Well, Takuma had a secret weapon for this case as well. Thankfully.

"Um, you know, maybe Zero-kun and Ichiru-kun will need some help..."

As expected, it worked without delay and Ichijou mentally smirked to himself in triumph. Really, his dear friend could be so endearingly simple and easy to handle sometimes in spite of his status and demeanor...

Kaname's dark aura retreated and disappeared altogether at the very mention of the older Kiryuu's name. His usual mask of impassiveness was back on, but Takuma could still feel interest and slight excitement behind it.

"I'll go," was all the pureblood said after a short while of silence, already on his way out of the room.

Blinking once more, Ichijou chuckled, then shook his head in amusement, and hurried after his friend.

**-o-**

Aidou shivered for the umpteenth time that morning from another dark look his beloved pureblood leader shot him.

Beside him, his cousin arched an eyebrow and gave him a questioning look, while Ichijou, although attempted to, but still failed to suppress quiet chuckles that escaped him. At that, Aidou casted the other blond of the group an inquiring look of his own, but received only a slight shake of the head in response.

"Hanabusa," Kain started in a low tone, and the shorter noble returned his attention to him, "spill it out. What did you do _this _time to upset Kaname-sama? And more importantly, _when_?" They hadn't even been up for more than two hours, yet it looked like somehow, Aidou had already managed to upset their leader, if the said vampire's strange behavior was anything to go by.

"Nothing," the shorter teen hissed, "I did absolutely _nothing_, Akatsuki. I myself have no idea what in the world is going on!" he finished in a harsh whisper, frustrated.

"Doesn't look like that though," the fiery-haired noble paused for a moment, contemplative. Then he suggested, "Maybe you started sleepwalking and did something while you were asleep?"

"Not funny," Aidou shot his cousin a glare, far from amused.

"I wasn't trying to be funny," Kain replied with his usual deadpan expression never changing. Yet the shorter vampire could swear that for a brief second there he had caught a barely perceptible glint of amusement in the other's eyes.

Aidou's brow twitched in annoyance, but he chose not to offer a reply to his cousin's words. How in the world had Akatsuki even managed to come to such ridiculous-

Another shiver ran through the blue-eyed blond in response to _another _stern look sent to him by the pureblood, and for a moment there, he actually considered Kain's absurd suggestion.

What _on earth _was going on?

"K-Kaname-sa-" Aidou started nervously, having finally gotten enough courage to speak to his precious leader, but a sharp _'Look out!' _from somewhere above the group interrupted him. Immediately, the blond's curious gaze shot up to the source of the voice, but before he could actually see something and heed the warning, he was pushed face first into the ground by something heavy landing on him painfully.

For a few long moments, stunned silence fell over the group as everyone watched the scene before them from the side, having managed to step away in time.

"Oh..." came in a bored tone from the newcomer the vampires were all too familiar with, "Aidou-sempai. Sorry, I didn't notice you," the younger Kiryuu twin said, yet he sounded anything _but _sorry. On the contrary, his voice actually seemed rather amused, and none of the members of the Night Class failed to catch it.

Ichiru continued, never moving from his spot on the blond noble's back and not even showing any signs of intending to do so any time soon. "But I told you to 'look out', didn't I? Or are you just being your usual creepy self _again_?"

"Y-you!" Aidou exclaimed, eyes wide in exasperation and an angry blush on his cheeks as he looked over his shoulder sharply at the silver-haired hunter. "Get off me this instant!"

Ichiru tilted his head to the side, blinking, "Are you avoiding my question? You do realize that it's the same as giving a positive answer, don't you?"

"W-what!?" Aidou bristled, his eyes widening and blush deepening further. He continued, sputtering, "H-how dare you! You insolent little brat!"

The younger Kiryuu feigned hurt, "How rude. You're hurting my feelings, Aidou-sempai." He let out a dramatic sigh, then a smug smirk came to his lips after a few moments, "And you _still _haven't answered my question. I suppose I hit the mark with my guess, after all."

"As if! Don't get so full of yourself, stupid hunter!"

"Childish as ever," Ichiru scoffed at the other, before finally getting up and straightening.

"Wh-"

"Aidou, that is quite enough," came Kaname's silky voice, immediately stopping the highly agitated blond from getting into another verbal fight that he would lose for sure – like always.

"But Kaname-sama!" Aidou whined childishly, already on his feet, "_He _is the one who-"

"Aidou..." the pureblood repeated, and this time the younger vampire didn't fail to catch ominous warning in his beloved leader's tone. Involuntarily, he froze and a cold shiver ran down his spine. No words left him anymore and the only response he gave was a stiff bow.

Ichiru tsked, not trying to conceal his displeasure at having his entertainment cut short. And he was only getting started too...

Under his breath, the younger Kiryuu cursed Kaname for always interfering with his fun. In response to which Aidou bristled once more, barely resisting the urge to bark back an angry reply in defense of his precious pureblood, Kain remained impassive, Ichijou hid a light chuckle behind his hand and Kaname himself only arched an elegant eyebrow.

"It is a pleasure to see you too, Ichiru-kun, like always," the brunet said calmly, before asking, "And...Zero-kun is...?"

Ichiru gave a shrug, "Not far. Doing his part of the job." He let out a snort, a smirk tugging at his lips, "Why, losing your touch at stalking, Kuran?"

"How dare you!" Aidou sputtered, fuming all over again and now even more impatient to get his claws and fangs on the stupid brat for his blatant disrespect for his Lord. It was outrageous! How _dared _that pathetic hunter treat his brilliant, kind, wonderful, perfect, beloved prince in such a manner!? But more importantly, why did Kaname-sama even put up with it?!

_'Honestly,__'_ the blond sighed mentally, _'Kaname-sama is too gracious and noble for his own good. And to those who definitely deserve it _the least_. Like these foolish Kiryuus and that stupid human girl.' _

"Aidou..." came the pureblood's tired voice, followed by a frustrated sigh.

And why on earth was _he _always the one his beloved Kaname-sama got displeased with?!

It took his damnedest to hold back and not blurt out his protests, but Aidou managed to do it. Although his stiff posture and glaring eyes spoke volumes of what he _really _wanted to do instead of obediently shutting up.

"Yes, Kaname-sama..." the blond answered reluctantly through clenched teeth, and Ichiru arched an eyebrow, amused yet still a bit disappointed.

But he was quick to dismiss the matter and move on with the conversation. He wouldn't get so much fun out of picking on Aidou with the stupid pureblood around anyway.

With a nonchalant shrug, Ichiru spoke to Kaname once more, "What the hell are you doing here anyway?" He swept his gaze over the rest of the group of vampires, "Decided to take your kindergarten out for a field trip?"

"You could say so," Kaname gave a shrug of his own. "We are here to offer our assistance with your task."

"Of course you are." Ichiru rolled his eyes internally. As if he didn't know _why exactly _the royal bloodsucker was present before him. And Aidou was getting all worked up about him calling Kuran a stalker? "Only I doubt we need help. But if you're so eager, go ahead and knock yourselves out." Shrugging uncaringly, the silver-haired teen turned to walk away and continue with his hunt, "Just make sure that you're not getting in our way."

In response to which Kaname only gave an absent-minded _'We will' _and set out towards his new destination, secretly eager and already busy searching for the older Kiryuu twin's whereabouts with his senses.

Immediately, Aidou made to follow after his leader, but was stopped first by Ichijou who wore an enigmatic smile on his face that made the younger blond frown in slight confusion, and then by his cousin, who put a hand on his shoulder with a pointed look that only added to his confusion. He opened his mouth to voice out his puzzlement and find out the reason for his companions' weird behavior, but Ichijou spoke first with his ever present annoyingly cheerful smile that now stretched from ear to ear.

Aidou couldn't help shuddering at the sight involuntarily.

It was just _wrong _for a born vampire to be so...sunny and bubbly and _impossibly _happy. And quite frankly, it freaked him out a bit.

"Let us check other areas while Kaname-sama handles that one, shall we?"

He didn't even get to voice his protests as he was dragged away by the two vampires.

**-o-**

Zero failed to stifle an agonized cry that escaped him as intense pain shot through his body when a set of razor sharp claws ran down his arm all of a sudden. He could literally feel them embedded deep in his skin, tearing it mercilessly inch by excruciating inch, even though the contact lasted no more than a mere second.

Unbeknown to him, his gun dropped to the dusty wooden floor that was now stained with blood, the amount of which continued to increase with every passing moment. Disoriented, Zero stumbled backwards until his back collided with the wall and he lost balance and dropped heavily to the ground. His hand automatically went to clutch his trembling arm and a quiet groan escaped him, soon followed by a soft curse under his breath.

Instinctively, Zero made to take his aim anew, unaware of the fact that his hunter weapon was absent from his grasp. But it didn't matter much anyway, as the moment he attempted to raise his injured limb, he found that it didn't quite listen to him the way he wanted it to. He couldn't stop the trembling that was getting more violent with every second, and it seemed to him as though he was slowly losing not only the strength, but also all feeling in it.

Immediately reacting to the rapidly worsening situation, Zero gave up on his gun and switched to his hunter daggers that were waiting for their turn inside his jacket. Skillfully and without hesitation, the silver-haired teen threw three sharp-edged items at once. Each managed to embed itself into its intended target's flesh, and the Level E screeched loudly in pain, falling onto its hands and knees. But unfortunately for Zero, none of the inflicted by him injuries were enough to finish off the rabid vampire, and before the hunter knew it, the blood-crazed beast was moving towards him with surprisingly fast speed, snarling viciously, now seeming even madder than before.

For a moment there, Zero couldn't help panicking involuntarily at the sight, feeling the imminent danger with every fiber of his being. He froze for a split second, unable to even breathe, but then he regained his composure anew and quickly reached to retrieve another set of daggers. However, in spite of the fact that his brief stupor was only momentary, it was enough to become fatal for him, as before Zero could make a move, the Level E was already there, less than a second away from tearing into him.

Eyes wide, the older Kiryuu braced himself for the excruciating pain he knew would come while also readying himself to land the finishing blow to the vampire.

But his attacker never managed to reach him, as he was turned into ice and disintegrated into tiny pieces before either of the two knew it.

Zero blinked in bewilderment. His amethyst eyes went up and to the side to land on the newcomer standing in the doorway, his hunter senses only now registering the said person's familiar presence.

"Aidou-sempai...?" Never for the life of him had he thought that he would actually feel relief upon seeing the blond. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your pathetic self, apparently," the vampire replied with a huff, then crossed his arms over his chest with his chin raised high, "You better be grateful, Kiryuu."

Zero chose not to respond to the other's words and returned his attention to his injured arm instead. He could barely move his fingers, and the bleeding, along with the violent trembling and burning, refused to go away still. And now that he paid attention, he realized that he had also lost his Bloody Rose sometime during the struggle with the Level E.

Great. Just great.

"Hey! Are you listening?!"

He wasn't.

"Hey, Kiryuu! Hey!" Aidou continued trying still, now visibly annoyed. Apparently the noble didn't appreciate being ignored. What a surprise there.

Zero continued paying no heed to the vampire as his eyes automatically scanned the room in search of his weapon. Which he found the next second, lying only a few meters away from him, and an involuntary sigh of relief left him. He tried to get up then, but intense pain that flared up his arm in protest successfully stopped the teen in his tracks and he fell back, wincing and cursing softly under his breath.

"Kiryuu?" Aidou's voice sounded once more, this time much closer to him. "Hey, are you alri-" the blond continued, but cut himself off abruptly. "T-that wound…" It was only now, upon closer look, that he realized how serious it was. The amount of blood…

A sharp intake of breath reached the hunter's ears then, and he looked up curiously, only to find the noble vampire standing before him stiffly with his eyes wide and burning crimson as they stared at his damaged limb intently.

Zero blinked. _'Oh…' _He cast his arm a brief glance course…

"Aidou-sempai…?"

The said male didn't respond and his eyes remained glued to the sight of Zero's blood. The silver-haired teen shifted slightly in his place, uncomfortable under the other's intense gaze. He tried calling the blond's name once more, succeeding this time, as Aidou returned his attention to him, seeming to have snapped out of his daze.

"It-it's nothing…" the noble mumbled quietly. He turned away and cleared his throat, still tense, his brows drawn together in a frown and eyes cast down.

Zero had serious doubts about the truthfulness behind the blond's words, but he chose not to pursue the matter.

Taking a deep breath, the hunter got up slowly, all the while wincing at the burning pain that screamed against the action, but not letting it get in his way this time around. He almost managed to straighten up when all of a sudden, he lost his balance, lightheaded, and went down once more. Zero mentally prepared himself for the blinding pain he knew would hit him upon the fall, but it never came, at least not with the intensity that he had expected it to as, to his greatest surprise, instead of the hard floor he was met with a warm body that supported his own unsteady one with startling carefulness the hunter never expected from Aidou of all people, especially towards him.

"H-hey, Kiryuu, are you alright?"

Zero didn't miss how shaky the noble vampire's voice sounded. Neither was he oblivious to the slightest trembling of the other's form and to his racing heartbeat. And if he looked up at Aidou's face, Zero was more than sure that he would see all the signs there to confirm his guess. The blond was obviously struggling with bloodlust – now even more so than before due to their close proximity.

Nevertheless, he chose to dismiss that unsurprising revelation and only gave a slight nod in response to the other's inquiry. It wasn't exactly the most important thing occupying his mind at the moment and quite frankly, reluctant as he was to admit it even to himself, he doubted he had much strength left to get into another verbal argument with Aidou. His vision was getting blurry and strength continued to leave him. If it wasn't for the noble's support, Zero was pretty sure that he would have long collapsed to the ground by now.

He didn't even want to think about what a pathetic sight he must make. To think that he had been so careless and allowed the situation to worsen _this _far… Without a doubt, Ichiru would get unnecessarily worried and wouldn't leave his side for quite a while after such an event. And when their master found out about it…

Zero mentally groaned at the very thought. He really preferred not to go there.

All that, along with the fact that their _favorite 'Idol' _would probably never let him live it down.

Zero groaned again, this time out loud. His day couldn't get any wor-

The hunter was brought out of his musings when he thought he felt something moist slide over the side of his neck for a briefest of moments. He was almost certain that it was his imagination, and was ready to dismiss it as that, if it wasn't for the vampire nuzzling his neck all of a sudden.

"Aidou-sempai…?" Zero called confusedly with a slightest hint of alarm in his voice.

That previously ghostly sensation returned, now much more palpable, and there was no mistaking it this time around. He already guessed what was about to happen next and he certainly did not welcome it. His head cleared once more then, and Zero tried to push the blond away from him, but instead of putting distance between them, that action only brought Aidou closer, as the noble pressed firmly to him and pushed him against the wall, his hold now bordering on painful.

The silver-haired teen could literally feel the other's rapid heartbeat and labored breathing, along with the trembling of his form. Zero could tell that the blond vampire was barely holding back from acting on his instincts and biting in right away.

The older Kiryuu never abandoned his attempts to get the blond male off him, but all of them turned out to be unsuccessful. Then all of a sudden his head was jerked back by his hair and there were two sharp fangs pressed against the side of his throat, and Zero stopped involuntarily, frozen in place. The next second came the familiar sensation of his skin being broken and the hunter couldn't help wincing slightly at the small sting it brought.

A muffled groan of pleasure sounded from Aidou when first drops of delicious crimson liquid hit his sensitive taste buds. The flavor was heavenly and it burst in his mouth beautifully, making his eyes roll to the back of his head and drawing a deep moan of gratification from him. It had been _too _long since he had had warm, delicious, _real _human blood right from the vein and now that he got his fangs on it, it tasted _too _good to stop and let go of that irresistible taste.

However, Aidou was forced to do just that no more than a mere split second later when, out of the blue, he was violently ripped away from his meal and shoved into the opposite wall mercilessly with overwhelming force. The noble cried out in pain, his intoxicated mind still not quite able to grasp what had happened, but it did manage to register the fact that he now definitely had a few broken bones. Then came the unbearable pressure on his neck, it got almost impossible to breathe and for a brief moment the blond was sure that his throat would be crushed right there and then.

"What is the meaning of this, Aidou?" reached his ears along with a threatening growl. That voice was almost unrecognizable, but the noble still managed to identify it. And when he did, he could swear his heart had stopped beating for one long second.

His still cloudy eyes wide with fear, Aidou looked up at his lord, internally freezing at the terrifying sight before him. "K-Ka-Kan-na…me-sa-" he started stammeringly, but was cut off when Kaname tightened his fingers around his neck and pressed him further against the wall, heedless of the pathetic whimpers of pain that the action elicited.

The pureblood was _this _close to actually giving in to his inner beast and simply snapping the stupid brat's neck, but a familiar voice that called his name weakly from the other side of the room stopped him from committing such uncharacteristically impulsive for him act. With another low growl, barely restraining himself from tightening his death grip further, Kaname tossed Aidou uncaringly to the side and quickly went back to Zero. The state he found the teen in only fueled his rage towards the blond noble, and briefly, he actually considered returning to the said individual and finishing what he had started. However, tending to Zero's wounds was much more important and there was no way that the pureblood would leave the boy's side anytime soon. Thus, Aidou was yet again saved from his enormous wrath. For now.

Carefully, Kaname took Zero in his arms and lifted him up bridal style, apologizing softly when he saw the boy wince slightly from the pain the movement had caused. Then, in a split second, the two were gone from the room, and Aidou let out an involuntary sigh of relief, for once genuinely happy to have his beloved _'Kaname-sama' _leave him all alone. His posture visibly relaxed and even his wounds seemed to hurt much less with the oppressing aura of his leader gone.

Then after a short while sounds of hurried footsteps reached the noble vampire's ears, soon followed by two worried calls of his name. Blinking, Aidou lifted his head to see two familiar males walk into the room hastily, concern in their expressions morphing into surprise only to be replaced by an annoyingly knowing look in the end.

Simultaneously, two sighs sounded, and Aidou's brow twitched in irritation at the display.

"Hanabusa," Kain Akatsuki started wearily, already starting to mentally prepare himself for the punishment he _knew _he would get together with his idiot genius of a cousin, _like always_. That was the way things worked with them and even the fact that he hadn't been anywhere _near_ Aidou at the time he had done whatever it was he had done to anger Kaname _this time_ wouldn't save him. It never did.

With another sigh, the fiery-haired vampire continued, "Do I even _want _to know?"

"S-stop giving me that _look_!" Aidou protested, heatedly but not very convincingly. Kain could easily tell by the tone and the slight stutter that even his cousin himself didn't quite believe in his innocence. He helped the shorter blond stand up as the said male continued, "I-I didn't do anything! It was all that filthy Level E that injured him and then- and then…! Argh! It's not my fault that that stupid Kiryuu's blood was everywhere and that it _kind of _smelt nice!"

That managed to attract Ichijou's undivided attention. With a nervous smile, the older blond spoke, "Um, Aidou-kun…Please tell me you didn't…" He didn't even want to finish that thought. It was too scary to say it out loud.

"What? It was just a taste," Aidou replied nonchalantly with an uncaring shrug of his shoulders.

Ichijou just stared, speechless and frozen in place. Kain let out another sigh, a very long and heavy one, and facepalmed inwardly.

_'Oh God…' _He did _not _just hear that. His cousin did _not _just say that and he absolutely had _not _done what he said he had done. Otherwise the two of them were in huge, _huge_ trouble.

However, the expression on his _dear _cousin's face said him everything he _didn't _want to believe.

For the nth time in his life, Kain wished he lived somewhere on the Moon where his troublesome relative couldn't get him into mess. Although knowing Aidou…he guessed there was no guarantee that he would get his peace even somewhere so far away.

"Geez, Hanabusa…"

"What?" Aidou blinked innocently with a small frown gracing his features, his questioning gaze flickering from his cousin to Ichijou and back. "What's the big deal?" He honestly didn't get the reactions he received from the two.

Kain sighed deeply _again_, barely restraining himself from facepalming for real.

For a genius, his cousin was _impossibly_ dense. And here he thought that Aidou noticed absolutely _everything_ when it came to Kaname…

But he was obviously terribly wrong. And now was definitely not the best of times to ponder on it, as he had _yet_ _another _punishment to mentally prepare himself for.

With another long-suffering sigh, the fiery-haired noble shot his shorter cousin a reproachful look, while Ichijou on his side of events mentally thanked whoever was up and down and beyond there for his not being either one of his two unfortunate companions.


	10. Silent Tears

_**A/N: **__Well look at that, I'm actually updating so much earlier than usual, aren't I? Yay for holidays! And for the end of yet another semester *phew* Finally I can do whatever I want __and laze about and write, write, write *cheers happily*_

_Anyway, I'm really happy that for once I actually managed to update so fast. _

_Thank you so much, dearests, for your wonderful reviews and favs and alerts *bows* They really helped me a lot and pushed my lazy self every step of the way, for which I'm sincerely grateful *bows again*_

_Disclaimer stands, warnings and everything else remain the same, as always. So with that said…_

_Hope you'll enjoy reading! :D _

**Chapter 10: Silent Tears**

_Even in his deep, spell-induced sleep, somehow, on some unconscious level, he was still quietly aware of that same strange feeling he had been getting for some while by that time. And then, when he finally managed to wake up, it only intensified, and it was only then that he realized what it really was. _

_At that dreadful yet strangely not as surprising as one might think comprehension, he got another familiar feeling that was the freezing coldness in the pit of his stomach. It rendered his body unconscious, although he himself was wide awake by then. So he lay, motionless and unresponsive, staring at the familiar white ceiling above him with his lavender eyes unblinking and unseeing. _

_His mind was flooded with dozens upon dozens of thoughts while being completely blank and empty. Involuntarily, it recalled every uttered word, every small detail, every insignificant change in behavior, every silently thoughtful gaze, every inkling and every faintest sign that he had unconsciously refused to admit, refused to see and thus had simply dismissed on numerous occasions they had been there before his very eyes. And then another realization hit him. One that he dreaded just as much if not even more._

_Or maybe he had known. Somewhere deep, deep down. Deeper than one could imagine. O__n the deepest levels of his subconsciousness, maybe he _had _realized it a long, long time ago. _

_He knew his brother better than anyone, after all. They were always together, since their very birth and even before that – literally. So it was only natural th__at whether they wanted it or not, they would feel each other unconsciously, without any words needed to be said. It worked on purely intuitive, instinctive level. Naturally, by no means did it allow them to know each other's thoughts, intentions and reason__ing, but it did grant them a certain amount of mutual understanding of each other. And although his counterpart could often be hard to read and even harder to predict even for him, deep down inside, he _still _could at least guess what the one that was his o__ther half was up to and how far he would go to achieve that. _

_It had always been that way. So whenever his brother did something supposedly unexpected, it was never so for him in the end._

_And this time, too…_

_He had known. _

_No matter how fleeting and vague and deeply buried that unconscious knowledge had been, it still had taken residence in the roots of his consciousness. _

_There had also been passing thoughts – almost nonexistent, barely present and so quick to disappear that they had been impossible to catch. But they had been there nonetheless, lurking somewhere in the back of his mind from time to time, even though he had never been quite aware of them._

_So he chose to ignore that cold feeling he kept getting. He chose to be oblivious and hope that 'it was nothing', that his instincts were wrong and that his brother wouldn't go as far as he was afraid he could. _

_It had been easier that way. For many reasons. _

_But it hadn't gone the way he had wished it would – obviously. And he could do nothing about it. Neither could he blame anyone but himself. His foolish, weak self. _

_It never even occurred to him that quite possibly, there was nothing he could have done to prevent such turn of events. Nor did he ever think of actually pushing all the blame on the one who had played one of the more major roles in everything that had happened. _

_He couldn't. Although maybe he should, and it wouldn't be surprising to do so. _

_But he couldn't deny that on some level, he did understand _why _his twin had done what he __had done. And it was true that a part of him – tiny as it was – had barely any arguments against it, if not agreed with it altogether. No matter how reluctant, guilty, regretful and terrified he was to realize it and to admit it even to himself…_

_Before he__ knew it, his small body was being wrecked with tremors and he could feel hot moisture on his cheeks. His vision got blurry, his breathing quickened and tears refused to stop no matter how hard he tried to force them to. A choked sob escaped him, barely au__dible, soon followed by another one, and there would have been many more to come had he not smothered them with his trembling hands. The action made it hard to breathe, but he refused to let go. _

_He turned onto his side and curled slightly into himself, his small form shaking._

**-o-**

Zero took in a slow shaky breath upon waking up.

It took him a few long moments to recognize his surroundings and comprehend where he was, and when he did, he heaved a deep sigh of relief.

There was slight blurriness in his vision, and he blinked to clear it, only then noticing moisture in the corners of his eyes. It slid down his cheekbones and Zero's lavender eyes widened a bit in startled realization.

Immediately, his hand went up to wipe away his tears that he was glad no one else was witness to. Then, when he was finished, another thing caught the silver-haired teen's attention. And that was the fact that he could move his hand freely again. The feel of it was a bit strange, that was for sure, but there was no pain whatsoever – surprisingly, considering the injury he had sustained.

Briefly, the hunter wondered if he had been asleep for much longer than he thought. And if he did...

_'Ichiru…' _was the first thing that came to Zero's mind, and he automatically made to get up from his lying position, when a warm body next to his own finally captured his attention, and his tense – unbeknown to him – muscles relaxed, and an inaudible sigh of relief fell from his lips.

For a long while, the older teen watched his counterpart's sleeping form silently, his gaze somewhat distant and contemplative. He turned onto his side slowly and reached out to stroke his twin's hair gently, then brushed a few loose silver strands out of Ichiru's closed eyes, his touches feathery so as not to wake the younger teen.

Then Zero withdrew his hand and, with another inaudible sigh, he sat up carefully and climbed out of the bed as quietly as he could. He left the room and his slightly unsteady at first legs automatically took familiar to them route to the kitchen, where he, not for the first time, went through the usual by now routine of making himself a cup of caramel tea and drinking it slowly while staring through the widow at the night scenery with a distant look in his amethyst eyes.

That was how Kaname found Zero upon his hasty arrival at Cross's living quarters some time later. And the sight, while sweetly nostalgic, made his rapidly beating heart squeeze painfully for some reason.

Kaname entered the room quietly, but strangely, Zero failed to notice him, apparently too absorbed in his musings. A faint frown made its way on the brunet vampire's features briefly at the younger teen's lack of response. But he stayed silent and just remained where he was, only continuing to watch Zero wordlessly, unknowingly entranced by the sight in front of him.

It seemed like hours had passed before the silence was broken as Kaname uttered the silver-haired teen's name quietly, his voice no louder than a whisper, soft and gentle.

Zero's unmoving form gave an involuntary start then, notably tenser than before, and lilac eyes widened slightly as their owner came out of his daze at long last. His clear gaze shot to the pureblood then, surprise evident in it, before it was replaced by subtle yet genuine joy and what the brunet could only assume was…relief…?

Kaname couldn't help the familiar warmth that spread in his chest at that sight. Internally though, he scolded himself for God knows what time for his foolishbehavior. It was so…_human_, for the lack of a better word. And it was absolutely unbecoming to him, to say the least. Yet he couldn't do anything about it even after such a long time of being well acquainted with it. It was just out of his control still, no matter what he did. To his greatest frustration.

All those feelings that he had been experiencing for the last few years never stopped being new and confusing to him, and it would be an understatement to say that they were close to driving him insane from time to time. Which gave him all the more reason to want them _all _under his total control. One had _no idea _how much easier it would have made his life...

Kaname sighed inwardly, feeling that same stupid yet undeniably pleasant _warmth _only spread further and increase in its intensity a bit.

Secretly though, the pureblood reveled in it. To his chagrin.

"Kaname," Zero said softly with a faint and somewhat tired smile on his lips. The brunet vampire had to scold himself internally once more for the flutter his treacherous heart gave.

Zero continued, "Sorry, I haven't noticed you enter..." Not that it was unusual, but he still couldn't quite get used to it. "You always manage to sneak up on me like that." A small chuckle escaped the younger teen and his smile widened ever so slightly, his form now visibly more relaxed.

Zero continued after a brief silence, blinking curiously at the brunet male, "What are you doing here?"

"I…" Kaname faltered at the question, now frantically trying to find a plausible excuse for his late – _very _late,in human hours – visit. Which he managed to find soon enough and without much trouble, courtesy of his fast thinking and cunning mind. "Um…I sensed that you woke up and…well, I came to see if you are alright…" Yet before he knew what was going on, his lips were moving of their own accord and he was speaking _the truth_ instead. The brunet mentally kicked himself, barely holding back from performing the act for real.

What _the hell _was he doing...?

"Oh…" Zero blinked, doubtlessly taken aback a little by the other's reply. "Thanks…I'm okay." The silver-haired teen's smile returned to his features, his bewilderment gone. "Only a bit tired is all."

A worried frown appeared on Kaname's features, "You should rest some more. Your injuries might have closed, but your body is not fully recovered yet."

Zero nodded absently, "Mm, I guess…" He stayed quiet for a few seconds, lost in thought, before returning his attention to the brunet vampire to ask, "How long have I been asleep for exactly?"

Zero lifted the cup in his hands slightly in a wordless offer of one for the pureblood as well, and Kaname nodded absently with a small grateful smile making its way on his lips. He went to help Zero when the boy got up to make his tea, replying, "It's been three days today."

The hunter faltered in his motions for a moment, his surprised gaze turning to Kaname as he asked in disbelief, "_Three days_?" Ichiru must have been worried sick this whole time…

Then another thought hit the silver-haired teen, and his amethyst eyes went to his right hand, a thoughtful expression coming to his features, while his other hand went up to touch the side of his neck unconsciously. Zero returned his attention to the brunet male beside him after a long moment of contemplation.

"You healed those injuries for me, didn't you?" They had been too serious to disappear in such a short amount of time. He had known so from the moment he realized that they weren't there anymore, but it was only then that he actually gave proper thought to it.

Kaname didn't reply verbally, but gave a silent nod.

In response to which Zero presented him with another soft, gentle smile that secretly took the pureblood's breath away, and uttered a quiet _'Thank you' _before returning to his momentarily forgotten task. The two lapsed into companionable silence after that.

Kaname watched his drink being made with childlike excitement twinkling briefly in his burgundy orbs. Which Zero didn't fail to catch, and he couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle at the sight.

"It's just tea, yet you have the same look as Yuuki when I make her a cake." To say that it was endearing would be an understatement. Especially when it was _Kaname _who had that kind of look on his usually stoic face.

The pureblood blinked at the comment, not for the first time surprised by the hunter's ability to see through his expressions. A soft smile returned to his lips, he gave a light shrug with his shoulders and replied, "Well, it _is _my favorite drink. And it is not very often that I get an opportunity to have it."

Zero tilted his head slightly to the side, blinking, "Why not?"

"Because here is the only place where I can have it."

Receiving another inquiring look from the silver-haired teen, Kaname chuckled softly, before answering to the boy's wordless question, "No one can make caramel tea as delicious as yours, Zero-kun."

The young hunter couldn't help the faint blush that made its sneaky way on his face at the compliment and the undeniably charming smile Kaname flashed him. Immediately, he turned away, mumbling to himself about stupid purebloods and their shameless sweet talk, in response to which the brunet male only gave another heartily chuckle, quite obviously enjoying the reaction he got from Zero.

"Are you alright, Zero-kun?" Kaname spoke again with a masterly feigned frown of genuine concern. "Your face looks a bit red…"

"Shut up," Zero responded in a barely audible voice. His cheeks got even redder and he mentally cursed the pureblood, positively refusing to meet the said male's gaze.

But it looked like Kaname wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily. The brunet continued, "But Zero-kun, it could be serious…You could be running a fever from too much strain during recovery. Your face became even more flushed than it was before…" The younger teen's brow twitched at the other's words and the tone they were spoken in. He couldn't believe the level of the vampire's acting skills. "Even your _ears_ and _neck _seem to have turned red…" Kaname finished sneakily and Zero could literally feel with his _s__kin _how much fun the pureblood was having at his expense and how hard he was trying not to burst into a _huge _grin and start laughing.

_'That bastard…' _Another twitch of a silver eyebrow.

"I am _perfectly fine_, thank you very much," Zero finally gave his reply, still refusing to face the older male. And it definitely was _not _a pout that was slowly making its way on his face as well.

"Is that so…" Kaname trailed off with an annoyingly innocent look on his face. Zero could just _hear _that huge grin in the other's voice, even though it remained _'__genuinely worried__'_.

"_Yes_. And if you say anything else, you won't get any of your _'favorite drink' _at all for a _very _long time," the hunter threatened lightly with a small challenging smile, his lilac eyes finally meeting the garnet ones, silently daring their owner to try and tease him further.

Kaname gave the hunter a hurt look in response, his hand going to settle over his chest dramatically. "Zero-kun…Certainly you wouldn't be so cruel…?"

Zero arched an eyebrow at the brunet's expression before commenting on it, "Don't you give me that look. It won't work."

"What look?" Kaname asked, inclining his head slightly to the side and blinking innocently.

"_That _look. The sad-puppy-eyed one." Zero internally steeled himself. He would _not _fall for that this time around. Yuuki and Ichiru were enough already, he didn't need _Kaname _to team up with those two as well. "When did you start using it on people anyway?"

"Hmm…" Kaname pretended to ponder over his reply to the question. "Just now?" He answered with a playful smile on his face.

The silver-haired teen's eyebrow twitched once more. "Decided to join Yuuki and Ichiru's little club, didn't you?"

Kaname gave a light chuckle and a small shrug, "I don't know. Am I qualified enough?"

"Oh yes, you certainly are. The three of you are masters of manipulating me to your liking."

"My, what an honor…" the pureblood let out another chuckle, this one accompanied by a mock bow that earned him a light smack upside the head and an amused smile from the hunter.

Zero finished preparing the drink for Kaname and handed it to the said male, who accepted his cup gratefully. Comfortable silence settled over the room once more as its occupants made themselves comfortable at the table and began sipping their caramel tea quietly.

The two stayed like that for some while, simply enjoying each other's familiar presences. But the playful mood that had settled between them wasn't bound to stay for too long, unfortunately, as much sooner than Zero would have wished, his mind went back to the moment when he woke up from his long rest.

He remembered the dream he had had. Which in turn led him to recalling the night that that same dream had been about. And with it every detail of that night all those years ago returned to him, so _real _and so…_impossibly inescapable_.

It wasn't the first time that those unwanted recollections came back to haunt him, no. But _this one _felt especially intense. So much so that he thought it would suffocate him at some point.

Even right now, he could feel an unpleasant tightness in his chest.

Zero took a slow, shuddering breath, clutching his mug a little tighter with his suddenly ice-cold fingers.

"Zero-kun?" Kaname called, worried for real this time, and the silver-haired teen blinked, startled, before looking up at the pureblood. He stayed silent, however, so the brunet vampire continued, "What is…um," Kaname faltered, uncertain. Discreetly, he took a deep breath to muster some courage and calm himself down, "Is everything alright?"

The pureblood mentally kicked himself for his idiotic question. Of course everything was _not _alright. That much was _more _than obvious, wasn't it?

Zero didn't respond right away. For a few long seconds, he just gazed at Kaname wordlessly with a thoughtful, slightly distant look on his face, which managed to make the brunet vampire all the more uncharacteristically nervous. But he hid it remarkably well, as always, and only continued waiting for the younger boy's reply silently.

Which he received soon enough, in a form of an undeniably beautiful yet impossibly sad smile that made Kaname's heart throb painfully in his chest. His throat felt dry all of a sudden and he couldn't utter a word. There was an indescribably strong urge in him to reach out and touch the other, to cup his smooth cheek and run a thumb over that warm, soft skin to brush away the non-existent tears he clearly saw there.

But he restrained himself, with much effort, and stayed where he was, with his heart beating away wildly against his ribcage and his lungs unable to function properly.

Then Zero gave a small nod. The pureblood knew that silent response was a lie, but he chose not to comment on it.

"Is there…anything I can do...?" Kaname asked softly instead after a moment's hesitation.

Zero blinked, taken aback slightly. His smile left his lips and for a few long seconds, he just stared wordlessly at the vampire before him, thus making the said male even more nervous than he already was. Although, naturally, Kaname did a splendid job of preventing any signs of it from showing on his face this time around as well.

Then slowly, another smile, this one much less pained, made its way on Zero's face, and Kaname let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. For a few more seconds, the hunter remained quiet, and then replied, "You already did." His posture relaxed involuntarily and a soft sigh escaped him. That overwhelming sadness slowly left the teen's features and he continued, "Thank you, Kaname."

**-o-**

"Zero…" Ichiru breathed out, relief evident in his voice as well as in his features as he entered the kitchen, flustered. A deep sigh left him, and a gentle smile automatically made its way on his lips as he hurried to his brother's side to pull him into a tight embrace. "You're finally awake…You're okay…" He buried his face into Zero's neck to inhale his counterpart's familiar scent deeply, his arms unconsciously tightening around the other's form.

"Mm," the older Kiryuu nodded lightly, immediately returning the embrace and smiling softly at his twin's evident worry for him. "I'm okay. I'm sorry for scaring you, Ichiru."

The younger teen shook his head wordlessly and tightened his hold on Zero some more, drawing in another calming breath. His brother's hand was on his head the next second, patting it comfortingly, and all remaining traces of previous panic and agitation left Ichiru altogether.

The two remained that way, quietly basking in each other's familiar warmth and calming presences, with Zero continuing to stroke his twin's hair tenderly. The younger teen let out a soft sigh, his eyes closed and expression content. An air of tranquility came over him from his counterpart's ministrations that were beginning to slowly lull him to sleep.

"Tired?" Zero's slightly muffled voice reached him through his light daze. Ichiru shook his head lazily with a faint _'Uh-uh'_, then spoke after a few seconds, "I've had too much rest already." He had been staying by his twin's side the whole time Zero had been unconscious. Sure it could hardly be called a nice and peaceful rest, but it was more than enough nevertheless.

_'As I thought…'_ the older hunter thought to himself with a sigh. He really did scare Ichiru, didn't he?

Zero couldn't help the pang of guilt he felt at that knowledge. He loathed making his twin so distressed, even if it never was on purpose.

"I'm sorry," Zero apologized quietly once more, and received the same response from Ichiru as the last time. A soft smile lifted up the corners of the older teen's lips and a small chuckle escaped him.

"You hungry?"

"Mm," Ichiru gave a lazy nod with his chin resting on his twin's shoulder, thus eliciting another chuckle from Zero.

"Come on, Ichiru," the older boy nudged his counterpart to let go and stand on his own again. Otherwise Zero was more than certain that they wouldn't move an inch from where they were currently standing for a very long time. Ichiru whined childishly in protest, but complied nevertheless.

Another chuckle, this one of pure amusement, came from Zero and the younger teen raised an eyebrow in an unspoken inquiry.

"Your head is a mess," the older Kiryuu replied with a warm smile, his lilac orbs twinkling with mirth and undeniable affection. It was only now that he actually noticed the very _interesting _state his twin's hair was in. To say that it was hilarious to look at would be an understatement.

"Shut up," Ichiru mumbled sulkily, his hand going up unconsciously to smooth his disheveled locks. "I ran here right away after waking up."

"Mm," Zero nodded, smiling warmly. "I know." He reached out to help his other half in his actions, then continued, "You go wash up while I set the table. Cross and Yuuki should be up soon too."

"Okay," Ichiru responded absently with a small nod of his own. He was about to turn around and be on his way out of the room, but something in the corner of his vision caught his attention and stopped him in his tracks. His gaze fixed on whatever he saw there and, imperceptibly, his expression darkened.

"Kuran was here…" it was a statement, not a question.

Zero blinked, and his eyes followed his twin's gaze silently.

"Yeah," the older Kiryuu replied with a nod. He returned his attention to Ichiru, asking with a subtle tilt of his head, "How did you know?"

"That's his cup." And who else would come here in the middle of the night unannounced like that? It could only be that stalker.

"Kaname has a cup?"

"Yeah. You always give him that one whenever he comes."

Did he?

"Mm," Ichiru nodded and Zero realized he had unknowingly voiced his last thoughts. His counterpart continued, "No one else uses it."

"Oh…I never noticed." He really hadn't.

"Yeah, I figured as much," the younger teen replied with a long sigh. Honestly, sometimes Zero's complete ignorance when it came to certain things…Ichiru had to seriously reconsider his approval of it. "I take it that bastard is not joining us?" There was _no_ freaking way_ in hell_ of that leech leaving his brother's side while he was anywhere near him otherwise. That persistent, annoying, stubborn, _unabl__e-to-take-a-freaking-hint_ son of a-

"No. He said he couldn't this time."

"Oh." Well, his day definitely brightened up just now. "What a pity," Ichiru did nothing to hide the glaring content in his tone.

Zero couldn't help chuckling softly at his other half's unsurprising reaction. He reached out to ruffle Ichiru's already messy enough hair affectionately. "Yeah, right. I can_ feel _that smirk of yours, you know."

He only received an uncaring shrug and a widening of the aforementioned smirk in response, before Ichiru left the room to get ready for breakfast.

Zero shook his head lightly and watched his twin go with a soft smile that lingered on his lips for a short while before leaving altogether. Sadness returned to his features then, pain flickering in his lilac orbs briefly. He took in a deep breath before exhaling shakily. His gaze turned to the window and Zero stared into it absently, standing in his place motionlessly.

It was raining now. And it would be dawn soon. With it another day would come and everything would go on as usual – it always did. Nothing would change, and everything would be alright.

_'It will be alright…' _Zero repeated in his head. Then again. And again, to convince himself for sure, like he had done a long time ago.

But it didn't quite work.

An unpleasant feeling washed over him. A strange and uncomfortable, yet eerily familiar one. It settled somewhere deep, deep within him and refused to go away, but Zero chose to ignore its existence.

_Like he had done in the past…_

Because there was nothing else he could do about it, even if subconsciously, he knew that he probably shouldn't do so.

His chest tightened all of a sudden and the hunter drew in another deep breath, before releasing it slowly, quietly. He remained where he was for another few seconds, then turned away from the window at long last and started going about his self-appointed task of setting the table for breakfast.

**-o- **

_After what felt like an eternity, he was out of the cold barely existent comfort of his bed and headed downstairs, carried there slowly by his legs on their own accord. _

_It was pitch dark. And cold. Freezing cold, and Zero could feel his bare feet begin to go a little numb. A thought that the front door was probably open flickered briefly somewhere in the back of his mind, soon followed by another one that maybe he should close it. But they were so fleeting and insignificant that they didn't even manage to register within him. So he never stopped in his tracks and continued on his way through the darkness, and before he knew it, he arrived at his destination._

_And the sight that greeted him there made his heart stop for a few long, impossibly long and frightening moments during which he couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move and couldn't feel anything other than pure terror that shook him to the very core of his being. _

_"Ichiru," Zero breathed out almost inaudibly when his lungs started working again. His eyes were wide with fear and panic and his small form started trembling from something much worse and scarier than coldness of the winter._

_His chest tightened painfully and his heart raced. On unsteady legs, he moved forward._

_"Ichiru," Zero repeated his twin's name, still breathless. Then again. And again. And again, with panic in his voice increasing every time he was met with nothing but silence. _

_He took Ichiru's unmoving form into his arms as he kneeled down on the cold floor upon making it to his brother's side, and an involuntary sigh of relief escaped him. _

_He was alive. He was breath__ing. It was slow, abnormally slow, and Zero could barely catch the sound of it, but Ichiru _was _breathing. So he was alive, and he would be okay…Right…?_

_But then his relief died down as his fingers went to brush away a few silver strands from Ichiru's __closed eyes. And panic returned and intensified tenfold as he realized that his twin had a fever. A _raging_ fever that was stronger than any he had had before. _

_Zero exhaled a shaky breath, frozen, his mind completely blank. _

_"Ichiru…" he called softly again, his hand continuing to caress his twin's disturbingly warm cheek gently. It was an unconscious habit of his that always calmed him down whenever he was worried about his counterpart. But it didn't help at all this time around… _

_Still, his fingers continued caressing the pale skin beneath them carefully, and Zero continued calling Ichiru's name hopefully every now and again in a faint whisper. He held his twin tighter, as tightly as he could with his suddenly weakened arms. His gaze was fixed on the familiar face before him, unblinking and scared and silently panicking. _

_A thought crossed his mind. That he should call for help, that he should do something, that he should get somebody…_anybody _to help __them, to help _Ichiru_. And, naturally, the first ones that he __thought of were their parents. _

_So he opened his mouth to call for them, but no sound escaped him as he remembered what was going on. _

_And once again, he realized…_

_That they wouldn't respond if he called. That they wouldn't be able to help. That he wouldn't see them again…_

_Because they were forever gone…_

_And at that moment another thought came to him. That he should go to them, to see them one last time. He wanted to, he really did. But…_

_Zero took in a sharp breath. His eyes were smarting again all of a sudden and he felt moisture trickle down his cheeks. _

_He was scared. And guilty. And too ashamed to face them. _

_So he stayed where he was, holding his brother even tighter and sobbing quietly, unable to move as he sat on the cold floor of the night-engulfed house, surrounded with nothing but haunted silence and overwhelming fear and only his twin's unconscious, feverish form to hold on to._

_He never stopped calling Ichiru's name quietly, again and again, now also asking him to wake up and just 'be alright'… _

_While inwardly, he kept telling himself over and over again, 'It will be alright…'_


	11. Slipping Time

_**A/N: **__Well just look at that. I'm totally breaking all my records here xD If only that could be applied to all my stories and doings…*sighs* Ah well, I'm still happy with what I managed to do this time. _

_Thank you all for your favs and alerts and especially for your lovely reviews – they were such a delight to receive *bows low* _

_Disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine._

_Belatedly, Happy New Year to everyone *hugs all* And now…please enjoy! :D _

**Chapter 11: Slipping Time**

"Are you certain that this information is correct, Takuma?" Kaname asked, secretly hopeful to receive a negative answer from his childhood friend.

Unfortunately for him though, his selfish wish wasn't granted, as the noble vampire in front of him nodded wordlessly, and Kaname had to suppress a sigh of frustration from escaping him at the other's response. Needless to say, he was more than disappointed at the news. Though his perfect mask of impassiveness showed none of those emotions on the surface. But Takuma still managed to catch on to it instinctively, having known the pureblood long enough to notice that much.

"I'm afraid so, Kaname-sama," the noble spoke with a small, a bit guilty smile on his face. "I have verified it personally beforehand."

"I see…" the brunet vampire trailed off, giving a small absent nod of his own.

A short silence fell over the room, before Takuma sounded once more, hesitant, "Kaname…Do you think it's…" He didn't need to finish his sentence for the pureblood to know what he wanted to ask.

Kaname didn't respond, contemplative, his expression somber. He _really _didn't want it to be happening. And he didn't want to believe that it actually _was _happening even more.

He just wanted a bit more time. A bit more peaceful time with the ones that he cared for. With the_ one _that he cared for. Because these few past years had been so fleeting…And the amount of time he had had the opportunity to spend with _him_was so insignificant, no matter how precious…Undeniably fulfilling and enjoyable, yes, but it still wasn't enough.

The pureblood would have laughed at the irony of his situation, if it didn't feel so frighteningly real and wasn't so distressing. Not so long ago he would have given _anything _only to speed up the process of things and get to the point where he would be standing soon enough from that moment onwards. Whereas now all he wanted was for the time to slow down for as long as possible and for the peaceful and relatively quiet days to continue.

He just wanted more time with the one he loved – simple as that.

But he didn't have that luxury. To his greatest regret. And that simple fact was staring at him so intently that he couldn't pretend not to notice it anymore. No matter how strongly he wanted to continue doing just that for as long as he could…

Kaname let out a heavy sigh, his fingers going up to massage the bridge of his nose.

He was feeling impossibly tired all of a sudden.

**-o-**

What Yuuki couldn't help but notice was that before she even had a chance of getting what was going on, her life had become all too complicated for her still developing mind to grasp. When one shocking revelation just befell her, thus shaking up her entire world and betraying pretty much everything she believed in, another one, no less unexpected and unthinkable, followed after it mercilessly all too soon for her liking. And just when she thought that _nothing_ could throw her off after…_that_ discovery that Ichiru had all but pushed her into making.

Honestly, with the way things were going, Yuuki was certain that universe was just making fun of her in the cruelest and most twisted of ways possible. There was no other probable explanation she could come up with to make sense out of anything that had been happening around her lately. Which, in turn, made her come to conclusion that maybe…she really would have been much better off not knowing any of the truth about her surroundings at all. At least that way she would have been much happier – she knew for sure, after all, it wasn't so long ago that she had been oblivious to pretty much everything around her and lived a happy, if not blissfully sheltered life.

_Yet why…_the little brunet kept wondering to herself, _why couldn't she just forget everything and return to that period…? _

She never expected something like _that_ to happen and for it to affect her that much.

Not even a single thought had ever occurred to her of the possibility of someone so close to her to not be the one she _thought_ she knew them to be. And, again, the effect of unexpectedly revealed – or more like stumbled upon – truth was much stronger than she could imagine.

And moreover…Never in her life had she imagined that she would _ever _feel that way towards one of the most precious to her people in the entire world. She never even knew that such emotions _could _reside in her. They were too ugly and too unjustified. But even despite knowing that, she couldn't help herself, couldn't shut them off. No matter how scared and ashamed she was of them…

Not for the first time that morning, Yuuki let out a quiet sigh, still very reluctant to get up in spite of the fact that she had been awake for quite a while already. She really didn't feel like leaving the bed and then going about her usual routine. Granted, it was Saturday, so she didn't have to go to school, which allowed her to sleep in as much as she wanted. But still, she knew that sooner or later, she would have to get up, leave her room and face the facts yet again.

At that thought, a small groan escaped the girl and she turned to her side and curled slightly into herself, closing her eyes and pulling the blankets all the way over her head. Images of what she had chanced upon witnessing just yesterday night flooded her mind for the umpteenth time that morning, so vivid it felt like she was back there again, patrolling the grounds of the Cross Academy she had just recently entered…

_Yuuki blew her whistle in yet another futile attempt to get the horde of excited, squealing fangirls to calm down and step back to form at least some semblance of line. Needless to say, it did nothing to stop the hormonal females of the Day Class from continuing to go crazy over the impending arrival of their idols and pushing her small form even more persistently in order to get to the soon-to-be opened double gates as close as they could. _

_It was amazing though, really, how she still managed to remain standing on her feet in the face of this raging beast that were the fangirls. Yuuki almost wanted to puff her chest and throw Ichiru, who was standing just across from her, a smug look of small victory. _

_If only she weren't so busy fighting to stay upright with all her might at the moment…_

_Still, __the brunet managed to sneak a glance at her adopted brother to see how _he _was faring, secretly hoping to find the said silver-__haired male in the same predicament__ as her. But what Yuuki witnessed was far from her expectations, to her greatest disappointment._

_The girl's eyebrow twitched. _

_Ichiru didn't even have to lift a finger to get the girls on his side to behave. All he did was stand idly with his hands in his pockets while the fangirls behind him remained in their place obediently, forming a perfect line as they stared up at her adopted brother, nearly drooling, while Ichiru was all but falling asleep there already. At least so the yawn he had given just a moment before suggested._

_Another twitch of a dark eyebrow. Was she being mocked by someone up there or something?_

_The__n Ichiru's somewhat glazed eyes turned to her and gave her a long, blank stare, before clea__ring and suddenly lighting up with__ mirth. An amused, arrogant smirk lifted the corners of his lips up then, and Yuuki's brow twitched _yetagain _in understandable irrit__ation at the older teen. _

Damn that smug, condescending, ever-the-bully adopted brother of hers! _Yuuki mentally screamed to herself, frustrated. It took everything in her not to stomp her small foot right there and then – childish, she knew, but couldn't __do anything about it – and go over to kick Ichiru's ass. _

_The brunet girl grimaced inwardly at her last thought._

_Well, of course she would hardly be able to do that, as the older teen was much stronger than her, and if Ichiru ever got serious about their__ frequent fights, she knew it would doubtlessly be _him _kicking _her _ass. If Zero didn't interfere__, of course. Which he would certainly do – he always stepped in to save her from his spoiled twin's constant teasing. He was the only one who could actually __succeed in doing that. _

_Honestly, why couldn't Ichiru be more like Zero? Why did he just _have to _always be his insufferable, smartass self?_

_Yuuki mentally huffed in exasperation. _

_And that stupid smirk on Ichiru's face grew wider, as if he knew what she was thinking and was now making fun of her further. _

_Dark eyebrow twitched once more._

_And he wasn't even going to help her, was he…? Even though he clearly saw how much trouble she was having with holding back her half of the crazed group of fangirls. _

_Squeals behind the brunet girl got louder all of a sudden and the pushing increased in its insistence. It was only then that Yuuki noticed that the massive doors of the double gates had creaked open and the students of the Night Class were already slowly making their way from the territory of the Moon Dormitory and towards the main school building. _

_"Hello, my lovely ladies!" came from Aidou who, predictably, was a few steps ahead of the whole group of vampires and started greeting his fans enthusiastically. "You look cute today as well!" He finished, before adding more fuel to the fire and making a dramatic show of blowing the crowd of now even more excited girls kisses, thus making Yuuki's prefect job that much harder. _

_The little brunet was about to voice her disapproval and start berating the blond noble for his behavior when an all too familiar voice of her adopted brother sounded, thus preventing her from saying anything._

_"Honestly, Aidou-sempai…" Ichiru started with a small sigh and a condescending smile playing on his lips. "It's been over a _year_ already. Do you really have _that _little imagination that you can't __even find some other semblances of pick-up lines to use?" _

_The blond responded with an indignant huff, then answered verbally, "Say whatever you want, Kiryuu. I'm not going to fall for your provocations this time."_

_Ichiru arched an eyebrow. Yuuki thought he would be at least a little surprised by the unusual reaction he got from Aidou, but if anything, it looked like he was only more amused now. Which, Yuuki knew for sure by now, didn't promise any favorable outcome for the noble vampire. At that moment the brunet girl actually felt a bit sorry for poor naive Aidou. _

_Because thinking that he would be able to actually get away from Ichiru's taunts so simply, by trying to merely ignore the silver-haired male, was nothing but naive – even Yuuki knew that in spite of her cluelessness about a fair amount of subjects. _

_Internally, the girl shook her head sympathetically, feeling increasingly sorry for the blond vampire._

_Who, as Yuuki had predicted, didn't last for very long in his valiant attempt at staying unaffected by Ichiru and his snide remarks. Sooner than even she expected, her adopted brother had Aidou completely playing into his hands, and the blond male's inevitable loss was more than evident even then, as the two went on with their customary one-sided verbal fight that was bound to result in 'Idol' getting his ass whipped. Figuratively speaking, of course. _

_"Good evening, Yuuki." _

_The brunet girl's eyes widened slightly in surprise upon hearing her name called by another familiar to her ears voice. _

_"K-Kaname-sama!" Yuuki exclaimed in response, turning her complete attention to the tall brunet male that had come to a stop beside her before she knew. A faint blush spread over her cheeks upon meeting the warm gaze of her precious savior. She froze for a moment under those garnet eyes before coming to herself and giving the pureblood a polite bow and answering with a quiet 'Good evening' of her own, still flustered. _

_"How have you been faring? I hope your new duties don't put too much strain on you?" Kaname inquired with a slight tilt of his head and a small frown crossing his features briefly. _

_"Of course not, Kaname-sama! Everything is great," the smaller brunet replied cheerfully with a big smile and a small laugh. "Please don't worry about me."_

_"I see…I'm glad to hear that." A soft smile made its way on the pureblood's features, his hand going up to pat Yuuki's auburn hair affectionately. Which only made the said girl blush even more furiously. Although it would be pointless to deny that she did enjoy the attention she was receiving from her prince._

_But she didn't get to relish these precious moments for too long, as the next second that smooth hand left her head and Kaname asked her a question that made her happy mood dampen a bit, albeit involuntarily. _

_"And…Zero-kun isn't helping you today, as I see…?" Kaname's gaze swept over his surroundings absently. It was barely noticeable, but Yuuki managed to catch a brief flicker of disappointment in the other's eyes before it disappeared after a moment. The taller brunet turned to her again then, with a faint frown back on his face, "Is he not feeling well?"_

_"No…" the girl murmured a bit absently. Then she continued, this time more loudly, with a weak smile on her face, "No, he is alright. He should join us later."_

_"Is that so…" _

_Yuuki gave a nod in response, feeling a small pang at seeing the way Kaname's face seemed to lighten up ever__ so slightly, almost imperceptibl__y, for a brief second upon hearing her words. She couldn't help wondering silently to herself if the__ signs had been really so obvious this whole time. And if so, how on earth had she managed to continuously miss _all_ of them until just recently? Was she really _that _oblivious…? _

_There was a familiar snort in Yuuki's mind that sounded suspiciously like Ichiru, and the girl decided it was enough of an answer to her last question._

_"I will see you later then," Kaname's voice reached her again as the pureblood resumed moving towards the school building with his group of followers. He gave her another gentle smile along with a slight inclination of his head before throwing over his shoulder a soft, "Have a good night." _

_Yuuki nodded automatically and silently watched the retreating back of the pureblood for a few minutes, until the said male disappeared into the school building. She sighed, her small shoulders sagging involuntarily._

_"Alright, girls. Time to get back to your dorms. The show is over," Ichiru's voice came, snapping Yuuki out of her short-lived daze. _

_"Will you escort us there, Ichiru-kun?" One brave fangirl asked, battling her eyelashes at the younger Kiryuu twin hopefully. Yuuki fought the urge to roll her eyes at the display, and only did so inwardly. _

_Honestly, what were those girls acting all flirty for? Yuuki really couldn't get what they w__ere thinking. It was Ichiru. _Ichiru _of all people! He was a meanie and a bully and a total jerk, always having fun at other people's expense. She honestly had no idea what was so good about him that all the girls seemed to see. _

_The little brunet huffed mentally to herself._

_Zero was so much better. His only flaw was that he was too much of a softy when it came to his twin. Though that actually could be sort of endearing at times. Only not when Ichiru was there to exploit it and reap whatever benefits he could, all smug and pleased with himself with that annoying grin of triumph plastered firmly on his face. _

'Stupid Ichiru!'_ Yuuki cried whiningly in her mind. Then added in a smaller voice sulkily, _'And stupid Zero for being so weak against Ichiru's tricks…'

_But her favorite adopted brother was still better. _

_Yuuki nodded firmly to herself. _

_She totally could understand it when those girls behaved the way they currently did towards Zero, but towards _Ichiru_…? _

_The brunet prefect shook her head inwardly. _

_They really were blind, weren't they? And that false image they had of Zero…Honestly, that alone spoke volumes of how unbelievably ignorant they were, mistaking his quiet and calm demeanor for coldness, when he was anything _but_. Though the fangirls deem__ed that 'cool' too, so Zero's popularity with them didn't wane in the slightest – they only were more hesitant to approach him in comparison to Ichiru. But that still didn't stop them from secretly drooling over him from afar at any opportunity they got._

_"And willingly put my innocence under threat?" Ichiru replied to the hopeful fangirl's question with a small snort, "Not a chance."_

_He received a set of giggles in response before the group of girls proceeded with their attempts at persuading Ichiru into walking them to the Sun Dorms. Unsurprisingly, they didn't succeed and had to go back on their own with dejected air around them. Again. _

_Ha! Served them right! _

_Yuuki mentally stuck out her tongue at the retreating group of disappointed girls._

_Zero would have definitely agreed. Reluctantly, yes, but he would have. Sure the request wouldn't have been granted in the end anyway, as Ichiru would have dragged the older boy away before he got a chance to do so, but still. _

_"How long are you going to just __stand there? Your _'Prince Charming' _is long gone.__ Get to patrolling already," __came from __Ichiru __addressed to__ her __then and Yuuki's eyebrow twitched _again_._

_She huffed exasperatedly before answering, "Shut up, you jerk! I was just going to do it! Besides, _you _are the last person I want to hear that from! You always slack off!__"_

_"Yeah, yeah," the older teen gave a dismissive wave of his hand, already sauntering off to carry out his own prefect duties – or so Yuuki hoped. "Later at the usual place," Ichiru threw at her absently, and the brunet girl was left alone._

_The night turned out to be relatively uneventful, with only a couple of Day Class girls to send back to their dorm after they snuck out to catch a glimpse of the Night Class students. The patrolling had gone smoothly and Yuuki had finished her task sooner than expected. So she had decided to help Ichiru with his part of the school grounds and thus was currently looking for the said silver-haired male. _

_She had been on it for some time now, but her adopted brother was nowhere in sight. Then, after an__other while of fruitless searching, a thought that maybe Ichiru had gone and ditched her _again _crossed her mind, and a deep frown creased the brunet girl's brows. Yet she didn't drop her self-appointed task and continued looking, though still unsuccessfull__y in the end. _

_Soon Yuuki lost all hope of finding the silver-haired teen and was by then ready to give up on her search, silently fuming at Ichiru and strongly determined to not just give him an earful – sure she knew he would hardly care, but at least i__t would make her feel better – but also try and kick his lazy ass _for real_._

'Yeah, right,' _crossed Yuuki's mind along with a derisive snort, sounding suspiciously like Ichiru, and the girl's eyebrow twitched for the umpteenth time that night._

_Stupid Ichiru. She already knew it was unachievable for her to beat him, but it didn't hurt to dream a bit, did it? _

_"Wait, Ichiru-" _

_Yuuki stopped in her tracks and snapped out of her musings then. She thought she had heard another voice that was no less familiar to her, and she looked around in search of its source, but there was no one in the vicinity. For a minute there, the girl thought it was her imagination playing tricks on her, and a small frown made its way on her features. Shrugging, Yuuki was about to continue on her way, but then that voice that she was more than certain belonged to Zero sounded once more. It was as barely audible as the last time, but it was enough to leave no doubt in Yuuki's mind that she had indeed heard it. _

_The girl headed in the direction she assumed it had come from, growing unusually hesitant with every step she took. A strange feeling crept over her all of a sudden. She had no idea what it meant and where it had come from, but it somehow made her feel uneasy and unsure whether she really wanted to move any farther ahead and towards her destination._

_But Yuuki shrugged it off and proceeded forwards, deciding that she was just being stupid and unnecessarily paranoid for no reason. _

_It was only a few minutes later that she realized how wrong she had been…_

_The brunet girl didn't quite get what it was she was seeing when she just stumbled upon the sight before her, but for some unknown to her reason, she couldn't help the sudden warming of her cheeks at it. _

_She felt like an intruder somehow. _

_There was a certain intimacy behind the display she was witnessing that just made it seem as though it wasn't for her eyes to see. It was so unexplainably natural, so subtle yet obvious, so inexplicably beautiful…It seemed so right and pure and there was absolutely nothing wrong about it. Yet more and more strongly Yuuki felt like she should stop looking and leave, because her presence was unwanted, intrusive…_

_But she couldn't tear her eyes off the sight in front of her, even though she still didn't understand what exactly was going on there. She looked on, frozen in place and unable to move, her eyes wide with open curiosity and her mind suddenly blank. Yuuki didn't even bother to wonder about the meaning of what she was witnessing, too mesmerized by the sight Zero and Ichiru made. _

_After some while, however, the girl began to slowly come to herself. She blinked, then tilted her head slightly to the side, a faint frown coming to her features. Involuntarily, Yuuki took a tentative step forward. Then another one, and then a few more as she peered into the darkness trying to discern what her two adopted brothers were doing. _

_But then a muffled groan sounded from Ichiru and Yuuki stopped in her tracks, her heart skipping a beat for reasons she couldn't comprehend. Then Ichiru started lifting his head from Zero's shoulder and Yuuki's pulse raced. _

_Before stopping altogether after a few rapid heartbeats. And Yuuki's eyes widened further, but this time in pure horror at what she saw. _

_There was blood. Staining the side of Zero's neck and dripping from Ichiru's mouth. And there were fangs. Also stained in blood, and sharp and so…real and scary-looking. And the eyes…Ichiru's eyes weren't of their usual unique lilac color at all. They were bright, burning crimson that shone in the dark frighteningly. The display made Yuuki unable to breathe and paralyzed her with fear for a long moment. _

_He was…Ichiru looked just like…_

_A loud gasp fell from the brunet girl's lips and she unconsciously took a few steps backwards in shock._

_Two sets of eyes that were usually absolutely identical in color but now couldn't be more different turned to her sharply, one filled with surprise and another expressing nothing but mocking amusement, as if…_

_Yuuki's eyes widened even more at the realization._

_Could it…Could it be that…Had Ichiru known about her presence there this whole time…?_

_But what was more important than that…How? Why? Since when and…and…_How_? She had never noticed any signs indicating it. She had always thought that…But it was apparent now that__ she had been mistaken. Again. But…Really, how on earth did it happen…? _

_Yuuki's head was a jumbled mess of incoherent thoughts and questions as her confused mind tried to comprehend what was going on. _

_"Yuuki," Zero's voice reached her ears, and the brunet's perplexed gaze snapped to the older twin, immediately locking on the said silver-haired teen's bloodied neck. All the times it had been wrapped in bandages flashed in her mind. _

_Yuuki drew in a sharp breath, taking another involuntary step back. _

_It couldn't be…All these years…? And she…she hadn't the slightest idea whatsoever…? No wonder Ichiru always called her an oblivious idiot and never stopped making fun of her._

_Zero's pale hand covered the side of his neck and it was only then that Yuuki looked up to meet his unusually nervous gaze._

_"Yuuki…" Zero repeated once more, "This is…um…" the teen faltered and fell quiet for a few seconds. He let out a soft sigh, and a rueful smile made its way on his lips as he resumed speaking, "Why don't you head back home first and get some rest while we finish patrolling? It's late." _

_The brunet girl could only blink stupidly, completely taken aback by the other's words. She stood motionless for some time, unable to do anything but continue to stare blankly in her stupor. Then she gave an absent-minded nod, still evidently dazed, quickly turned on her heels and ran off the same way she had come with one destination in mind._

_But sleep refused to come to her for the longest time that night. _

Yuuki felt the involuntary burning of her cheeks again as she relieved the images from last night in her mind. She shook her head lightly in an attempt to get rid of them and curled into herself some more.

She _really_ didn't feel like getting up today.

**-o- **

"Oh, you came out," Ichiru's voice was the first thing that greeted Yuuki when she entered the living room. "And here I thought that you would spend at least a couple of days cooped up in your room hiding," he paused to let a slow smirk come to his lips, "How disappointing." And boring too. Though Ichiru would still manage to extract some fun from the situation.

"S-shut up! I-…I didn't even think of doing that!" Well that wasn't exactly true. The thought _had _crossed Yuuki's mind more than a few times. But she definitely wasn't going to admit that to Ichiru – he was alreadyannoying enough as it was.

"Sure," Ichiru snorted. "I'll pretend that I bought it," he finished, returning his attention to the show he had been watching before Yuuki entered the room.

The two teens stayed quiet after that. Yuuki remained standing near the doorway for some more time, then proceeded into the room and seated herself on the couch, her posture tense.

Silence lingered, with Yuuki casting her adopted brother half-curious half-anxious glances every so often, sitting in her place awkwardly, and Ichiru remaining unaffected by the girl's attention. It continued for a few minutes, then the silver-haired teen let out a deep sigh and finally shifted his gaze to Yuuki.

"Stop acting all weird and fidgety already, will you?" Ichiru said with mild irritation in his voice. "It's not like I'm going to bite you. _Ever_." He scoffed, finding the very notion ridiculous.

"I-I never thought you would!" Yuuki tried to defend herself, but her expression told an entirely different story than her words. Naturally, Ichiru didn't fail to catch it.

The girl continued, "And I'm _not _acting weird! Or fidgety! And-" she faltered briefly, a puzzled frown coming to her features, "And why is that anyway?" Yuuki couldn't help bristling slightly, involuntarily offended by the other teen's words and, especially, by his tone. What was it for anyway? And why did Ichiru just _have to _be so rude and obnoxious about _everything_?

The younger Kiryuu arched an eyebrow. Somehow the action made the brunet girl feel even more like an idiot, but she shook it off.

Ichiru replied leisurely, "Because I have no interest in drinking your blood whatsoever." He gave an indifferent shrug, "The very idea of it doesn't appeal to me in the slightest." Ichiru paused, then gave a faint frown of his own, tilting his head to the side in question, "Why else do you think I never even tried to get it? Surely not because I couldn't." Because he sure as hell _could _have, had he wanted to. And easily. It was _Yuuki _after all. The only problem in that would have been Kuran, who would have most likely tried and killed him for even attempting to do something like that to his _'precious Yuuki'_. Though Ichiru had to admit that he _had_ entertained the thought once or twice – just to spite the pureblood. But that idea never stayed with him for long because he _really _had no desire to go through with the plan. It just wasn't worth the trouble in the end.

"Oh…" Yuuki responded absently.

Ichiru tilted his head sideways once more, blinking. A smirk pulled the corners of his lips up as he spoke again, "Why, you would _like _to be bitten?"

Brown eyes widened sharply at the question before Yuuki replied, gaping, "W-wha-!? Th-that's-! No! Of course not! That's not what I meant, you idiot!"

"Whatever," Ichiru replied with a snort and a light shrug, then returned his eyes to the television screen once more.

Yuuki pouted slightly before huffing exasperatedly and turning away from the silver-haired teen as well. Her stiff posture started to relax bit by bit and her gaze soon focused on the unknown to her show that Ichiru was watching as well.

Silence filled the room once more and lingered for some time, before the brunet broke it when a thought came to her mind. "Where is Zero?"

"Kitchen," Ichiru replied simply. Yuuki blinked with a puzzled look on her face when the older teen grimaced briefly next before continuing, "He is making us your stupid pancakes and waffles and all the other sickly sweet crap that you love for breakfast." Well, if Yuuki hadn't been well aware of Ichiru's distaste for pretty much all her favorite food – the majority of which consisted of sweets – already, then the silver-haired hunter's current expression alone would have been enough to enlighten her about that fact.

The brunet had to admit though, it did give her a certain satisfaction to see it and she didn't feel bad or guilty about placing it there in the slightest.

Yuuki huffed internally. Served Ichiru right! He always got to choose their meals because Zero just couldn't resist him even over _her_ puppy eyes that _always_ worked! And Ichiru _never _chose _any _of her favorite food – if not for his dislike of it, then just to spite her, she knew.

But it looked like today Ichiru's tricks didn't work, judging by the subtle air of sulkiness around the said male. Yuuki smirked mentally, secretly pleased with the knowledge. That was what Ichiru got for always playing dirty and exploiting every bit of Zero's weakness for him.

Ichiru's brow twitched. He could practically hear Yuuki's current thoughts even without the girl saying anything. "Stop looking so smug and don't get your hopes up. It's just a one time thing to comfort your _poor traumatized__ self_."

"Wha-I'm _not _traumatized!"

"Yeah, right," Ichiru snorted. "You should have seen your face yesterday."

"I was just surprised…" the brunet girl mumbled quietly to herself, trailing off into silence, fumbling with the hem of her skirt awkwardly.

"Well, tell _Zero_ that." Personally for Ichiru, it had been a hilarious sight and a very entertaining experience. But the same couldn't be said about his twin, who was left slightly perturbed by the event and unnecessarily worried for Yuuki. "Because unlike me, he _is _concerned by your yesterday's reaction."

While Yuuki was mildly irritated at Ichiru's usual attitude, she couldn't help feeling a small pang of guilt at his words about her favorite adopted brother. She hated worrying him just as much as Ichiru did.

"I will," the brunet said quietly, her head bowing in a meek nod. Then she got up after a few moments and headed for the kitchen, throwing a soft _'__I'll go help him' _on her way out of the room.

"You meant to say you'll go _get in the way_?"

"Shut up, you jerk!" Yuuki returned, sticking out her tongue at Ichiru childishly, and ran off.

The silver-haired hunter gave a derisive snort, "Mature and ladylike as ever." He returned his attention to the television screen and started flipping through channels, having grown bored with the show he had been watching so far.


	12. Black Clouds

_**A/N: **__Well, that took a lot longer than it could and should have. I really got a little too distracted along the way here -_-; _

_But ah well, the chapter is ready and I will move on to the next one as soon as possible. Though it definitely won't be out as soon as I would like it to, as Uni starts again *sighs* Dammit! Dx I want my holidays to continue! TTOTT_

_But anyway! Thanks to everyone for your favs, alerts and, of course, for your lovely reviews! I truly appreciate them all *bows*_

_As always, disclaimer stands, warnings and etc remain the same and all mistakes are mine. __So now without further ado…__Hope you will enjoy reading! :D _

**Chapter 12: Black Clouds**

"My Lord," reached Kuran Rido's ears, unceremoniously disturbing his eighth meal that wonderfully dark, stormy night.

He didn't grace the newcomer's words with any response other than a muffled groan, merely continuing to indulge in the wonderful taste of young human blood. He knew the Level B would get the wordless hint.

Which he did.

"He has left his current residence on the territory of the Cross Academy," the noble vampire resumed speaking. "His destination is unknown as of yet, however it is confirmed that he is not due to return for five nights at least."

_Oh…How__ careless of his dear relative, __now wasn't it? _The pureblood chuckled inwardly in amusement. _But oh so fortunate for him…Finally he would have some fun._

"What course of actions would you like me to take next?"

There was no reply for a few minutes as Rido never stopped devouring the slender neck under his lips. Then he freed his fangs, full at long last, and directed his crimson gaze at the sandy-haired noble before him. One pale, long-fingered hand wiped trickles of dark-red liquid from its owner's chin leisurely as the pureblood released his hold on the limp body in his lap and let it hit the cold marble floor lifelessly with a sickening _'thud'_.

"Find out where he is heading and keep an eye on him until further notice. But don't get too close and make sure _no one_ notices you," finally came the verbal response from the brunet male.

"Of course." After giving his master a respectful bow, the noble started to turn and was ready to disappear to begin carrying out his given orders when the pureblood's voice stopped him. He returned his full attention to his lord, awaiting the man's next words quietly.

A slow smirk made its way on Rido's hauntingly handsome face. "Bring me a couple more humans before you leave. I will need some extra energy very soon…" The request was followed by a deep chuckle of dark amusement that sent an involuntary shiver down the noble vampire's spine. But he did a good job of concealing it.

"As you wish, Rido-sama," the light-haired male answered with a bow, not asking any questions as usual. And then he was gone.

Another chuckle escaped the pureblood, his mismatched eyes twinkling with wicked mirth and dark excitement.

_It was time to pay a visit to another relative of his…_

**-o- **

"What's the meaning of this?" Ichiru asked upon spotting a familiar form approach him and his brother, annoyance clear in his voice. It had been quite a while since their last encounter with the man, and Ichiru honestly would have preferred it to remain that way. He could already tell from the other's eyes that nothing good would come out of their little _'reunion'_.

"What do you think?" Takamiya Kaito replied with a question of his own, sounding no less unhappy than Ichiru. "Yagari is on a mission, so I'm replacing him."

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Ichiru hissed under his breath.

"I don't like it any more than you do," came the growled response. Then Kaito continued reluctantly, a slight scowl permanent on his face, "So let's start and get it over with. The sooner the better."

Ichiru gave a snort of contempt, "Are you even qualified for that?"

"Well, I sure as hell am more than qualified to kick your vampire ass," the older hunter replied, crossing his arms over his chest and shifting his weight to one foot confidently. "Which you're more than welcome to confirm, as I'll _gladly _do just that." Cold hazel eyes shifted from Ichiru to Zero and back as Kaito added, "So which one of you would like to get whipped first?"

Two silver eyebrows twitched simultaneously. Wordlessly, the younger twin stepped forward, more than ready to fight, but he was stopped by Zero's hand that grabbed his forearm. Ichiru turned to his brother then, impatient question along with mild annoyance written all over his face.

Zero's attention wasn't on him, however, but on Kaito, his gaze fixed on the said man with suspicion and warning swirling in his amethyst eyes as he spoke, "Put away your weapons first, Kaito. You don't need them in hand-to-hand combat."

"And lower my defense in the presence of a leech?" Kaito scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous, Zero. No hunter in his right mind would do that."

"Ichiru _is _a hunter too, whether youlike it or not. And he is not going to attack you, so there is no need for any weapon."

"Just because you've _fed _him beforehand?" The older hunter gave Zero's bandaged neck a pointed look. Zero had to suppress the urge to cover it from the other's eyes. Kaito continued mockingly, "So sorry it doesn't really serve as any kind of reassurance."

"Dammit, Kaito, just-" the older Kiryuu started when his twin stopped him.

"It's alright, Zero-nii," Ichiru spoke calmly, giving his older brother a gentle, reassuring smile, before it disappeared as he turned his attention back to Kaito. "I don't mind. Use whatever petty tricks you have up your sleeve if you're _that _scared to face me fairly."

The ash brown-haired hunter let out a derisive snort, a mirthless smirk pulling at his lips as he answered, "You and your pathetic provocations…Nothing's changed, has it, Ichiru?" Nevertheless, Kaito removed his hunter gear, and Zero unconsciously let out a barely audible sigh of relief. He still remembered their last training session together, and after that he didn't want to take any chances. That one time was more than enough.

"Who knows," Ichiru shrugged uncaringly in response, "But it looks like they're not so pathetic if they still work."

Kaito's smirk widened imperceptibly, darkening ever so slightly. Now Zero really had a bad feeling about all this.

The older hunter spoke, "Don't get too happy about it. I still can take you out with only one hand if I want to." He paused to shift his gaze to Zero who had already stepped back to get out of the way and observe. Hazel eyes narrowed slightly as Kaito continued, turning his attention back to Ichiru a few seconds later, "And even your softy of a brother won't be able to save you then," he whispered lowly, so that only Ichiru would be able to hear his words with his vampire hearing.

Ichiru's eyes narrowed as well in response, "We'll see about that…"

And the training began. Zero stayed where he was and observed the two males fight for some time, watching Kaito's every move with caution evident in his lavender orbs. Then, more or less reassured that his twin would be alright and that Kaito wasn't going to do anything funny, he proceeded with his own training plan and went to practice his shooting skills first.

He was at it for a while, before deciding that it was time to switch places with Ichiru and going back to where he had left the two hunters. Only to find his twin sitting on the ground leaning against a tree and clutching his obviously wounded shoulder while Kaito stood calmly some distance away, cleaning one of his hunter daggers with a bored expression on his face.

Zero blinked, frowning, _'What the…' _

"Dammit, Kaito!" Zero growled at the ash brown-haired hunter with an angry glare, already rushing to his counterpart's side to assess the damage and asking if Ichiru was alright upon reaching him.

"Before you fully get into your 'protective big bro' mode, let me tell you that I didn't use any weapon in our fight. If you want to blame someone, blame Ichiru and his incurable clumsiness," Kaito said with a shrug, never shifting his attention from the knife in his hands.

Zero's eyes narrowed as he examined the wound. Even without the older hunter's words he could tell it wasn't inflicted by a weapon. It was _worse_.

"I can see that it's not a _weapon _that you used," the older Kiryuu hissed angrily. "What were you _thinking_?! It's not a freaking battle! It's training, for God's sake! What _the hell _were you _thinking _using a freaking _charm _against _Ichiru _of all people?!"

Kaito gave another indifferent shrug before replying, "Well, you didn't say anything about hunter spells, did you? Had to use whatever I had. And it _doesn't _matter whether it's just a training or not." Cold hazel eyes met angry lilac ones and the older male continued, "Have you forgotten what I told you about being serious?"

Zero gritted his teeth, internally cursing himself while he returned his attention to his twin. He couldn't believe Kaito. But even more so he couldn't believe himself for being stupid enough to leave Ichiru alone with the man in spite of _knowing _that something like this _could_ happen.

"Dammit…!" Zero cursed again under his breath, now feeling his twin's forehead for a fever, just in case. Thankfully though, Ichiru wasn't suffering from one, and Zero let out a quiet sigh of relief at the revelation. It looked like it wasn't as bad as it could have been. And he certainly couldn't be more grateful for that.

"I'm okay, Zero-nii…" Ichiru's voice sounded then, a little weakened, and Zero couldn't help another wave of worry that immediately hit him. Apparently, his counterpart had caught on that, as Ichiru was quick to reassure him with a weak smile, "I really am. Don't worry so much."

"Do you need…?" Zero didn't have to finish the sentence as it was obvious what he wanted to ask when his hand unconsciously went up to his neck.

Kaito's eyes flashed in anger at the display before him. "You've _got_ to be freaking _kidding _me," he hissed out, stalking towards the silver-haired teens and grabbing the older of the two by his shirt roughly to bring him up to his eye level. "What do you think you're trying to do, Zero?"

Lavender eyes narrowed in an icy glare. "What does it _look_ like?"

"Like a _very _bad idea," Kaito growled in response. "And it's fucking _disgusting_. You're a damn _hunter_,for fuck's sake. What _the hell _are you doing trying to offer a freaking _bloodsucker _your throat, and in front of _another_ _hunter_ no less?"

"You can turn away and go wherever you want now for all I care. The training is over. And we're going back." Zero tried to free himself from Kaito's grasp then, but the attempt was unsuccessful, as the older male's hold on his shirt only tightened.

Kaito chose to ignore the older Kiryuu's words and continued in a harsher tone, "I'm asking if you have _completely _lost your freaking mind. Do you even realize where that blind love of yours for _him_," he gave Ichiru a sidelong glance of disdain, missing the responding dark glare from the said silver-haired teen, "will lead you to?"

He didn't get an answer. Only a steady look of calm indifference as Zero stood before him silently.

Cursing grouchily under his breath after a few long moments of their staring contest, Kaito finally released his hold on Zero and stepped back. Almost immediately, the younger teen went back to tending to his twin.

Kaito tsked in irritation and averted his gaze from the two silver-haired teens, already turning to retreat from the scene.

He shouldn't have even tried. He had known from the very beginning that it was pointless to even attempt to talk some sense into that hopeless softy. Yet he had gone and done it anyway. Foolishly.

Really, he shouldn't have even tried…The case was hopeless and thus lost either way.

Kaito halted in his tracks. Without looking at the twins, he spoke again, this time more evenly but no less seriously, "Just mark my words, Zero. In the end, he _will _be your downfall. We all know it, and _you _know it as well. You're just the only one who refuses to see and admit it, even to yourself."

Then he continued on his way and soon was gone.

Zero and Ichiru followed the older hunter's retreating back silently with their eyes for a few seconds before averting their attention from the said male.

"Come on, Ichiru," Zero started softly with a small and gentle, but a bit uneasy smile on his lips. Carefully, he helped his twin get up, not missing the slight wince that crossed Ichiru's features. He decided he would have Cross take a look at that wound and the charm that had inflicted it as well. "Let's go home."

**-o- **

"Zero? Ichiru?" Yuuki's confused voice sounded as she stepped into the hallway to see who it was that just came, her gaze flickering between her two adopted brothers' faces. "You're back early. Did something…Wh-what happened to your shoulder, Ichiru?" The brunet girl asked with a surprised gasp upon noticing the weird state the younger twin's shoulder seemed to be in. "Are you-"

"Not now, Yuuki," Zero cut the girl off before she could ask any more questions. "Where is Cross? I need his help. _Now_."

"I-I'm not sure…He said he would be in his office at school all day, but-"

"Bring him over here," Zero said tensely before Yuuki – now genuinely concerned and increasingly nervous – could finish speaking again. The girl had never seen her older adopted brother so distressed. "Tell him to hurry, we will be in our room," the silver-haired teen threw over his shoulder, never stopping for a second as he headed for his mentioned destination.

Yuuki blinked twice after the two, stupefied and still very confused about what just happened. But then she snapped out of her short-lived daze and hurried out of the house to go and find Cross, hoping that the man was indeed in his office working and not slacking off and wandering somewhere else like she often expected him to.

Meanwhile Zero settled Ichiru on their bed and removed his coat and shirt as carefully as he could before helping his counterpart lie down. For the umpteenth time, he felt his younger twin's forehead – purely out of habit and just to be absolutely sure – and, yet again, sighed of relief when he found that Ichiru's body temperature was normal.

"Come on, nii-san…" Ichiru started with a small sigh and a faint, apologetic smile, his gentle gaze resting on his distressed other half adoringly. He took a hold of Zero's hand when it moved from his forehead down to his cheek, brushing a few strands of hair from his eyes along the way, and leaned into the warm touch with another sigh, this one barely audible and of content, his slightly cloudy eyes closing for a long moment. He continued after opening them, the corners of his lips going further up, "I'm telling you, I'm _fine_. The spell Kaito used is nasty, but it's not _that _strong. The effects will wear off after a few hours." At least so he hoped. It was mere speculation, as Ichiru couldn't tell for sure, but Zero didn't need to know that. All he cared about now was calming down his agitated brother.

Which he seemed to have succeeded in, as Zero's posture relaxed visibly and considerable amount of anxiety disappeared from his eyes.

Ichiru's smile widened again, another soft sigh escaping him involuntarily.

"Okay…" Zero replied with an absent nod after a minute of silent contemplation. "But we will still have Cross examine it. Just in case, okay?"

Ichiru let out a quiet groan of slight annoyance, scowling in obvious displeasure and reluctance at the prospect of having their adoptive father fuss over him, like they both _knew _he would do, with crocodile tears and the whole arsenal he had up his sleeve.

Nevertheless, the younger teen agreed, however grudgingly, "_Fine_," he said with a heavy sigh. Whatever it took only to keep Zero at peace. "But when he becomes too much of an unbearable whiny nuisance," which, again, both of them _knew _the man _would _become, and in no time, mind you, "you kick him out of here immediately and close the door on lock."

Zero smiled, chuckling lightly in amusement. "Deal," he replied easily, by now completely relaxed.

But that tranquil moment of peacefulness didn't last long, as the next instant Zero's body went rigid of its own accord and a cold shiver ran down his spine, leaving nothing but unpleasant chilliness in its wake.

Abruptly, the older hunter's head jerked in the direction of the door, his wide amethyst orbs searching for the source of his renewed distress almost desperately.

He knew this feeling. It was impossibly identical to the one he had experienced every once in a while a long, long time ago. But it also was different. It was more sinister and dangerous, more terrifying. It seemed inescapable and nearly made him suffocate of purest and coldest dread.

Zero's heart was beating madly in his chest, threatening to break through his ribcage at any moment as its owner turned to face the one who was causing such reaction, apprehensive as he was. Instinctively, his hand reached for his gun that the older Kiryuu still had on himself, having failed to undress yet, and he was ready to point it at whoever it was that stood in the doorway when all of a sudden, everything stopped.

That frightening feeling disappeared. Completely. Without a trace. And Zero had to wonder if he had even actually felt it in the first place.

The atmosphere seemed to have cleared somewhat and he could breathe freely again. His pulse evened after a few seconds and he was…_free_ all of a sudden. Of what though, he had no idea.

Zero blinked once, then twice, coming out of the daze he didn't know he had gotten immersed in at some point in time. His lavender eyes cleared and his fingers let go of his hunter weapon unconsciously. And it was only then that he recognized the familiar figure standing beside the door.

Zero blinked again, surprised. "Shiki-sempai…?" he uttered the name quietly, unsure of what had just happened. A small frown of mild confusion made its way on his features as Zero continued watching the one before him numbly. What in the world…

But he was sure he had- or was it all just an illusion…? It couldn't have been Shiki Senri who had been the source of that ominous feeling. It was impossible. Zero must have just imagined all that. There couldn't be any other explanation. But still…

"What are you doing here?" Zero asked the noble vampire then, his frown deepening a bit in question and head tilting slightly to the side.

For some reason, he thought there was something amiss, something wrong…He couldn't really explain it, but he couldn't shake off the feeling either. There was just _something _about the noble…

"Twins," came in a familiar yet strangely foreign voice of Shiki. Zero couldn't help the uneasiness he felt at hearing it. The maroon-haired vampire continued in the same manner, "_Hunter _twins…" he mumbled more quietly to no one in particular as his gaze kept darting from Zero to Ichiru and back slowly with interest.

It felt as though it was the first time the noble ever laid his eyes on them.

And it gave Zero the creeps for some reason. The vampire's gaze did.

"Zero-nii?" Ichiru's voice sounded with undertones of confusion in it. Observant as ever, Ichiru didn't fail to notice the change in his older twin's demeanor, and he didn't feel too good about it. "What's wrong?" he asked with a worried frown creasing his forehead and took his twin's hand that had left his cheek a few long seconds before. He gave it a light squeeze in an attempt to soothe his counterpart, which seemed to have worked as Zero's impossibly tense form relaxed visibly after a short while.

The older twin turned his gaze to his counterpart then, his expression softening immediately upon the sight of growing distress on Ichiru's face. "Nothing," Zero replied to his other half softly with a faint smile. "It's nothing, Ichiru. I just…" his gaze flickered to the noble vampire in the doorway for a briefest of moments involuntarily, "It was just my imagination." Zero forced his smile to widen a bit in silent reassurance. He tried to sound and look as plausible as he only could in spite of the fact that he himself didn't quite believe in his words.

Unfortunately for Zero though, Ichiru knew him way too well not to see through his feeble attempt at covering up his quiet distress. But the younger teen chose not to point that fact out right now and left it for later when they would have some privacy.

"If you say so…"

Zero only gave another small smile in response, this one more genuine and of gratitude.

His features hardened again, however, when he returned his attention to the vampire that was still watching him and his brother interact. Zero didn't like the look the noble gave them any more than he did the last time. He stood up, instinctively shifting to shield his twin from view as much as he could, and asked, "Is there something you wanted, Shiki-sempai?"

His inquiry was met with silence that lingered for a few long moments as the maroon-haired vampire continued staring at him contemplatively, his gaze unwavering and expression unreadable.

Needless to say, it did nothing to lessen Zero's uneasiness but only made it increase. And he still had no idea why on earth he was feeling that way.

"No…" Shiki spoke at long last, somewhat absent-mindedly. He paused for a long moment, during which he seemed to have come out of his daze as his icy eyes cleared. But then an uncharacteristic smirk pulled the corners of his lips up slowly. Zero frowned, puzzled and, strangely, slightly alarmed for reasons he couldn't even begin to guess.

The noble continued, "I merely came to see what the commotion was about. That is all."

"Oh…And…you're not in your dormitory because…?"

"I got bored there, so I came to visit our favorite prefects." Shiki tilted his head slightly to the side, his smirk widening a bit. He positively looked creepy to Zero now. "Why, am I not allowed to?"

Zero faltered in his reply and thus missed the chance to give it as the next second another voice sounded, distracting the two from their conversation, to the older Kiryuu's secret relief. Who could have thought that Cross could actually choose the right timing to appear for once in his entire life? "Zero-kun? I came as soon as I could, what is-" the ex-hunter started, his voice unusually serious and saturated with worry, but he faltered upon seeing an unexpected guest in his house. "Oh, Shiki-kun, what a nice surprise," Cross greeted the noble with a warm smile, "Is everything alright? Do you need something?"

"He just came because he had nothing to do," Zero answered promptly before Shiki could, already dragging Cross towards the bed to take a look at his twin. "Leave the small talk for later and concentrate on the task at hand now, will you?"

The blond male easily agreed and, giving a silent nod, proceeded to check Ichiru's wound.

"Zero?" Yuuki called next with concern still fresh in her tone, only now making her appearance, flushed and panting. "I-is Ichiru okay? Tell me what happened!"

"Later, Yuuki, okay?" Zero asked with an apologetic smile. "Just tend to Shiki-sempai for now while we take care of Ichiru here." He gave the noble vampire another brief glance of uneasiness, still not quite out of his sudden state of wariness towards the said male. But he didn't get any disturbing feeling from him this time around – all his hunter senses could pick up on was only Shiki's usual aura of a Level B vampire. Nothing weird about it.

Once again, Zero had to wonder if he had indeed been imagining things.

"Okay…" Yuuki agreed with a hesitant nod, casting the twins one last worried glance before urging Shiki back into the living room, "Let's go, Shiki-sempai..."

The noble gave an absent-minded hum in response and followed the girl unhurriedly, but his gaze still lingered on Zero for a few seconds. In turn, the silver-haired teen watched the vampire go intently with uncertain suspicion still darkening his lavender orbs slightly.

Zero let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when the two retreating figures disappeared from his sight. He took another moment to collect himself, and then turned his attention back to his twin and stepped into their shared room again, closing the door softly after himself.

**-o-**

"Shiki," Ichijou Takuma perked up upon spotting his friend enter the lounge room of the Moon Dormitory where he was lazing about reading one of his mangas. "Where did you disappear off to? I've been looking for you."

"…I think I was at Chairman Cross's house," Shiki replied in his usual flat toneless voice, seating himself on the couch opposite from the blond noble.

Ichijou arched his brows in bewilderment, for a few seconds unable to do anything but blink stupidly as he stared at Shiki, wide-eyed. "What do you mean you _think_?" he asked then, tilting his head slightly to the side in question.

He only received a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders in response as Shiki already averted his attention to a box of pocky he had retrieved from his pocket.

The blond vampire chose not to press further and asked another question instead, "But what were you even doing there in the first place?"

"Don't know…" Another shrug. "I just ended up there…somehow…"

"'Somehow'…?" Ichijou repeated, incredulous.

"Mm," the younger vampire nodded, now munching on his pocky.

"But surely you couldn't have stayed in _that_ house up until _now_, right?" Aidou Hanabusa joined in the conversation then upon emerging from the dorm's library with a massive pile of books in his arms, his turquoise eyes wide with bewilderment clear in them.

Shiki blinked, tilting his head to the side. "Why? It wasn't bad there."

Aidou gave the other a look of surprise, before it turned into one of understanding as realization dawned on him and he replied, "Oh. I see." He gave a nod of approval to whatever thought crossed his brilliant mind. "I guess with no Kiryuus around…"

"They were there. Both of them," Shiki shot back calmly, finishing off his first pocky and starting onto the second one. "The older one made tea and we ate fruit cake. It was good."

"Huh?!" Aidou exclaimed in exasperation, setting his books on a coffee table loudly. "What the hell!? What cake?! Is your loyalty _that _cheap?!"

Ichijou blinked, repeating with a small smile, "Loyalty…? I think you're exaggerating a bit, Aidou-kun…"

"I'm not! He is fraternizing with the enemy!" the younger blond protested hotly.

Ichijou let out a light laugh. "Now that's another exaggeration. They're nice kids, not enemies..."

"And that cake was delicious too…" Shiki added absent-mindedly before mumbling under his nose to no one in particular, "I should have asked for another slice."

"What?!" Aidou nearly exploded, but was promptly ignored by both vampires.

"You can do that when you visit them next time," Ichijou suggested enthusiastically, his smile brightening to impossible levels. "And I can even go with you!"

"_What_!?" Aidou screeched once more, his voice rising dramatically in exasperation. But he was ignored this time around as well as Ichijou continued happily.

"Kaname always praises Zero-kun's cooking, but he is the only one out of all of us who ever gets to have it. It's totally unfair, don't you think?" the older blond asked, a light childish pout replacing his beaming smile briefly.

"Mm," Shiki nodded distractedly while moving on to his next pocky.

"How about we go tomorrow?" Ichijou made another suggestion, perking up even more. "I don't suppose they would be too busy. Still weekend and all." He nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with his own idea.

"Mm," came another monotonous reply from Shiki while Aidou continued gaping at the two in astonishment.

"Wh-wha-what-!?" the younger blond sputtered before he managed to compose himself. "What _in the world _are you _talking _about, Ichijou!? You _can't _be serious about going there!"

"Why not?" Takuma asked, blinking innocently in genuine confusion. But then his expression changed to one of understanding and he resumed speaking, "Oh, I see…" Aidou nodded in silent encouragement a few times, happy to see that he seemed to have managed to get his point across to at least one of the two idiots before him. A small smile of satisfaction already started making its way on his face, but it was stopped by Ichijou's next words. "Don't worry, Aidou-kun, you can come with us too," the older blond said with his trademark sunshine smile, all annoyingly cheerful again. "I'm sure no one will mind, and besides, the more the merrier, as they say!" He turned to the silent maroon-haired noble then and asked, "Right, Shiki?"

"Mm," Shiki responded with a small nod in the same manner as all the previous times, having long stopped really paying attention to the conversation.

Takuma brightened up even more then in spite of the total lack of reaction that Shiki expressed and continued enthusiastically, "That's right! We should also call Kain-kun to come with us!" He returned his attention to the younger blond vampire and, somehow managing to stay completely oblivious to the said male's clearly annoyed and slightly horrified expression, asked with expectant face, "What do you think about it, Aidou-kun?"

If it was possible, that frighteningly happy smile got even wider, and that was when poor Aidou reached his limit.

"Argh! Like I can take it!" he exclaimed exasperatedly, then grabbed his books and stomped out of the room angrily.

"Aidou-kun?" Takuma called, blinking innocently in confusion as he followed the other with his gaze, but the younger blond didn't respond.

In less than a second Aidou was gone, and Takuma could only shrug as he returned to reading his manga, still as excited about the following evening as ever.

**-o- **

"Nii-san?"

A soft hum came from Zero in response to his twin's quiet call of him. He kept his eyes closed as they lay in their bed, ready to go to sleep.

"What was it that got you so distressed earlier?" Ichiru continued softly, then added when Zero failed to react in any way to his inquiry, "Tell me." He shifted closer to his counterpart, unconsciously taking a hold of Zero's hand.

The older teen let out a long sigh in surrender. Then he opened his eyes, giving Ichiru his full attention. His lips curved into a faint, rueful smile when, after a few seconds, he got used to darkness and was able to discern his twin's troubled expression.

"It really was nothing, Ichiru. Stop worrying yourself over it."

"It wasn't _'nothing'_," Ichiru disagreed, frowning, "I saw your reaction back then. And you know as well as I do that I know you too well to let you off the hook so easily."

Another sigh came from Zero before he gave a small nod in response, "I know. But…"

"But…?"

"I honestly have no idea what came over me. It's just…" the older teen lowered his gaze in contemplation, continuing only after a few long moments of silence, during which he tried to find the words to describe what had happened, "My senses went haywire all of a sudden for no reason. It stopped right away, but…I just couldn't shake it off."

"Haywire…?" Ichiru repeated, a small frown marring his features. "Because of Shiki-sempai?"

"I…" Zero paused, taking another few moments of contemplative silence before answering, "I don't know," he shook his head lightly, his brows drawing together in a puzzled frown. Zero pondered over the matter for another short while before his features cleared of bewilderment and he returned his gaze to Ichiru. With a soft smile, he continued, "See? I told you it was nothing. Just my imagination, I guess."

Ichiru had serious doubts about that conclusion. He knew all too well that his brother's hunter senses were _never_ mistaken. But still…

"…If you say so…" Ichiru chose not to voice his thoughts, deciding that it would be better to leave the subject for now, if only to put Zero's mind at rest. And so, without another word, he simply moved closer to his counterpart and hugged him, their foreheads touching ever so slightly. His eyes slid shut the next second and he let out a quiet sigh of content, already making himself comfortable against his twin's form.

A small, indulgent smile made its way on Zero's features at his other half's endearing actions. With a soft chuckle, he returned the embrace and also settled for sleep, mentally thanking Ichiru for his silent comfort.


	13. Creeping Shadows

_**A/N: **__Oh dear, now that took _very _long this time around, huh? O_O I'm so very sorry for that and for disappearing just like that as well *bows apologetically* I have already posted it __in my Profile, but I guess I'll explain myself here as well. This chapter had actually been about 2/3 done for a little over two months, but I hadn't been able to finish it because I got myself a job. It's only a part-time job, but it still took _all _m__y time – free or otherwise. _

_Again, I have already said that in my Profile page, but I'll just say it again: never underestimate a translator's job, people. _Never ever_. Got it? You have _no _idea how hard and troublesome it is until you try it. I, for one, __got _completely _exhausted from it =_=;_

_But! I took a few weeks off and so, at long last, I managed to finish this chapter *yay!* I'll continue writing and will try to get done as much as I only can while there's still at least some free time on my hands, b__ut I won't make any promises, because I still have Uni that never stops torturing me – especially now, when I have so many assignments that actually should have been done and turned in long, _long _ago *wails miserably*_

_Anyway! Sorry for the wait and for the long ramble *bows again* I'll stop here and now. _

_As usual, disclaimer stands, along with all the warnings and everything else. Thank you for all your favs, alerts and wonderful reviews *bows* They made my exhausted and slightly depressed self very happy :)_

_Please enjoy! :D _

**Chapter 13: Creeping Shadows**

"What is the meaning of this?" Kaname asked after standing silently in the doorway of Cross's living room for one long minute, dumbfounded and blinking stupidly in an incredibly uncharacteristic of him manner.

"Oh, Kaname!" came Takuma's ever-cheerful voice as the blond shot his way a blindingly bright smile. "Welcome back. But wait," the noble paused momentarily to tilt his head slightly to the side in question, "weren't you supposed to return only tomorrow evening?"

"I was. But everything went more smoothly than expected," Kaname replied simply and left it at that without further explanation, returning to his previous inquiry instead, "Now tell me, _Ichijou_…" Though still smiling as widely as ever, Takuma gulped quietly of involuntary nervousness as his friend's garnet eyes narrowed and looked over the group currently occupying the room sternly. Now why didn't he feel too good about that tone and that gaze of his pureblood leader…? "_What _is the meaning of _this_?"

Takuma let out a weak, sheepish laugh, his smile turning visibly nervous. "Um, what do you mean by 'this', I wonder…?"

Kaname's eyes narrowed further, his expression darkening ever so slightly with mild annoyance. "Ichijou…"

The noble gave another small, nervous laugh, internally sweatdropping. Then he finally answered, "Oh, well, you see…Shiki accidentally came here a few days ago…"

"_'Accidentally'_…?" the pureblood frowned, his gaze flickering to Shiki who was currently busy eating cake before returning to Takuma with question clear in his burgundy orbs.

"Ah well, that doesn't really matter. I didn't get that part either." One dark eyebrow rose elegantly at the words, but Ichijou ignored it, continuing, "Anyway. He liked it here so much that we all decided to visit our favorite prefects as well! Right?" Takuma turned to the other three nobles for confirmation of his words, receiving two silent nods from Kain and Shiki in response. In Aidou's case, however, it didn't go as smoothly – unsurprisingly.

"What do you mean by '_we _decided', Ichijou?!" Aidou spoke up indignantly. "_You _were the one who _dragged _us all here!"

Takuma chose not to look in Kaname's direction at that moment. He could feel the dark look the pureblood was giving him with his skin, and while it _was _kind of amusing to some extent, he couldn't deny the fact that it also was scary. Very much so.

The older blond laughed nervously again before answering, still smiling brightly while diligently avoiding eye contact with Kaname. "What are you talking about, Aidou-kun? That was last time! Didn't you come here of your own free will today?"

"Wha-!? No! Definitely not!" Aidou protested vehemently, but his efforts went completely to waste due to the slight but noticeable reddening of his cheeks.

"Eh? But didn't you praise Zero-kun's cake and-"

"'Last time'…?" Kaname interrupted his childhood friend, frowning.

"Oh, yeah, last time," Takuma nodded happily. Then he added, "Which was last Sunday."

Kaname's brow twitched. So it wasn't the first time they came to Cross's house? What _else_ in the world had happened while he was absent, he wondered?

"I see…" the brunet answered calmly while his expression darkened further and voice got even colder. Now all four noble vampires felt slightly uncomfortable under their leader's steady gaze. "Pray tell then, _Ichijou_…_Why _are the four of you here _now_, on Friday night? If I am not mistaken…" Which he wasn't for sure – he _never _was. "I do believe you have classes to attend…"

Another sheepish laugh, this time with nervousness more noticeable in it. Even Takuma's wide smile started to lose some of its endless cheerfulness bit by bit under Kaname's mercilessly stern eyes. "Oh, well…You see," the older blond started, miraculously managing to keep uneasiness out of his voice, "_Yuuki-chan _and Chairman Cross invited us for dinner, and no one seemed to mind, so here we are. After all, it's not like missing one night of classes would bring about some significant effect on our school lives or something…right?"

Oh they had _no _idea…

Internally, Kaname smirked evilly to himself, already planning punishments for each of the four noble vampires before him.

"Kaname-sama?" sounded a familiar voice then, distracting the pureblood's attention to its owner. Immediately, a gentle smile came to Kaname's lips as his eyes landed on the petite brunet girl that just entered the room, a tray with several cups of tea in her hands. "Welcome back! When did you return?"

"Good evening, Yuuki, and thank you," Kaname replied politely with a small bow of his head in greeting. "I came back just now. I hope my sudden visit isn't much of a bother?"

"O-of course not!" Yuuki shook her head furiously, already flustered and with a bright blush settled firmly on her cheeks. It was a good thing that she had already put down the tray she had been carrying, otherwise it would have definitely slipped from her fingers due to her involuntary nervousness. Internally, the girl cursed herself for always reacting that way to her crush. Then, still stammering slightly, she offered, "P-please take a seat and make yourself comfortable, Kaname-sama! I'll bring you a cup of tea right away!"

Smiling widely, Yuuki was about to turn around and go about her self-appointed task, but the pureblood's smooth voice stopped her in her tracks at that moment, "There is no need, Yuuki, please don't bother yourself. Just sit down and enjoy your drink while I go greet Zero-kun and Ichiru-kun. I am sure they will be polite enough to offer me a cup as well." Kaname's gentle tone and sweet smile never faltered one bit when he said that, but Yuuki still couldn't help the disappointment she immediately felt upon receiving that answer.

Nonetheless, she did her best to hide it and only answered with another smile, although this one noticeably weaker and less happy, "Oh, okay," the girl nodded gently. "Sure…" she added absently, unknowingly following the brunet vampire with her eyes as he passed her and headed for the kitchen.

For a few more seconds, the girl continued staring after the pureblood before turning away and taking a seat on one of the couches next to Kain, a quiet sigh falling from her lips. She never noticed a small sympathetic smile sent her way by Ichijou, nor the curious eyebrow arched at her by Shiki who uncharacteristically had a barely visible smirk on his face.

**-o- **

"Don't lie to me, nii-san." Ichiru's voice, unusually stern and with subtle undertones of worry in it, stopped Kaname in his tracks before he could fully reach his destination. Surprised, for some while the pureblood was unable to do anything but stay uncertainly in his place, his legs refusing to move for unknown to him reasons. Meanwhile, the younger Kiryuu continued, "You _know _you can't hide it from me. I can _see _that something is wrong. It's _that _feeling again, isn't it?"

At Ichiru's words, along with the tone they were spoken in, a deep frown made its way on Kaname's features. And when Zero's voice reached him next, it only got more prominent as concern was now added to confusion the brunet felt.

"Ichiru…" Zero started with a heavy sigh, sounding somewhat tired. Kaname could easily discern a small, fond smile he sent his twin's way in that familiar voice that the pureblood only now realized he had missed this whole time he hadn't been able to hear it. A part of him immediately felt some kind of tender peacefulness settle in his being, while another part couldn't help the slight agitation it unconsciously felt at the barely there hints of uneasiness Kaname had managed to pick up on from that one word that was the name of the younger Kiryuu.

All of a sudden, there was an uncomfortable tightening in the brunet vampire's chest. It passed after mere seconds, but it left an unpleasant sensation in its wake. And, needless to say, Kaname didn't feel good about it at all.

"It's _alright_," Zero continued softly. "I told you it's-"

"It is _not _nothing, nii-san," Ichiru nearly hissed, interrupting his twin and surprising Kaname further to an extent where the pureblood couldn't help starting slightly. He had never heard Ichiru so…agitated. Quite frankly, he didn't even think that the younger boy was actually _capable_ of such an emotion. After all, he never let _anything _get to him. "And it sure as hell is _not _your imagination. It may have been the case once, I'll give you that, but _thrice_? We both know that it means something. And while you might not believe it, your hunter senses are _never _wrong."

To the last part, Kaname gave a mental nod. Ichiru was right about Zero's senses. They were extraordinary without a doubt, even if their owner himself didn't quite realize it.

Another sigh sounded before Zero replied after a short while of silence between the twins. "Maybe you're right…But-" Whatever it was that the older hunter was going to say didn't make it past his lips, as his attention was drawn away from his other half by a slight movement in the corner of his vision. "Kaname…?"

The pureblood blinked. Somehow he failed to notice how he had gotten to his current place in the kitchen's doorway, apparently brought there by his legs that had, at some point in time, moved of their own accord without his knowledge. It was only now that he came out of his mild daze, and the first thing he was met with was a pair of startled, familiar lavender orbs that were looking at him with understandable surprise, but not-so-understandable relief. And while he didn't really mind the latter, he also didn't feel too good about it.

Once again, a small frown came to the brunet's features as, for the umpteenth time, he wondered what exactly was going on.

"Great," Ichiru said in an unsurprisingly annoyed tone after tsking in obvious displeasure at both being interrupted and seeing Kaname – though there was no doubt in the pureblood's mind that it was mostly the latter that irritated the younger boy so – before continuing, "Now _you _decided to show up, huh?"

A quiet sigh came from Kaname at the 'warm greeting' offered to him by the younger twin. But other than that, he didn't react to it in any way, too used to receiving that kind of attitude from Ichiru by now. Thus, as per usual, Kaname chose to concentrate on Zero instead, and was more than happy to do so.

"Is there something the matter?"

The pureblood didn't receive a reply to his inquiry at first as, for a few seconds, Zero remained silent, only looking at him uncertainly with a weak, somewhat uneasy smile on his lips. Kaname's frown deepened at that, but he chose not to say anything and waited for the younger teen's response patiently.

"No…" came from Zero at long last, accompanied by a slight widening of his smile. "No, it's nothing, Kaname. Don't-"

"Actually," Ichiru sounded then, interrupting his counterpart. His attention was fully on the brunet vampire now, lavender eyes darkened and narrowed in cold contempt as he spoke, "There _is _something, Kuran."

"Ichiru," Zero called in a warning tone, but was ignored by his younger brother altogether – unusually.

Ichiru continued, "You bloodsuckers make nii-san sick with your presence. And I don't mean it figuratively. Take your little group of lackeys and leave. _Now_."

Kaname blinked, his eyes widening in surprise and confusion at the younger Kiryuu's words that, quite frankly, left him speechless. It wasn't the tone Ichiru had used nor the attitude he was showing towards him, as those weren't anything new to the pureblood, but _what_ the teen had said.

"Ichiru, don't. Kaname has nothing to-"

"But I _am_ right, aren't I, nii-san?" Ichiru interrupted Zero once more, not letting him finish. When no response came from his counterpart, the younger teen continued, now speaking to Kaname, "What the hell are you still standing there for, Kuran? You heard me."

"Um, I don't quite…understand…" Kaname started uncertainly, his frown still firmly in place. He turned his questioning gaze to the older twin then, asking softly, "Zero-kun?"

Again, he was met with that uncharacteristic, disturbing uneasiness when his eyes locked with Zero's lavender ones. Another wan smile was sent his way before Zero turned his attention to Ichiru and called his name gently, easily attracting the younger teen's attention. Neither of the two spoke, but whatever it was that Zero wanted to ask of his twin, Ichiru understood. Just like he always did…

Kaname resisted the ridiculous urge to avert his gaze from the two. He was being utterly foolish _again_.

A frustrated sigh reached the pureblood's ears, bringing him back from his momentary daze.

"Fine," came from a more than clearly disgruntled Ichiru then as the said teen turned to the kitchen table and picked up a tray similar to the one Kaname had spotted Yuuki with earlier. The only difference was that this one had plates with neatly cut slices of cake on it. "Whatever," Ichiru added grumpily and left without sparing either of the two males a single glance.

Kaname followed the younger twin with his gaze for a few short seconds before turning back to Zero when a quiet sigh sounded from the said teen. Tilting his head slightly to the side, Kaname gave the silver-haired hunter another inquiring look, in response to which he only received a somewhat rueful smile and a silent shake of the head.

Then Zero offered simply, "Tea?" And, having received a nod from the pureblood, went about the task of preparing the drink while Kaname fully entered the room and automatically took a seat at the table. A minute later a cup of fragrant caramel tea, followed by a plate with a piece of delicious-looking cake on it, was placed before him, and a small smile pulled the corners of the brunet vampire's lips up.

It was only now that Kaname realized how much he missed being in this house. Even though it had been but a mere week since his last visit.

A quiet chuckle sounded from above him, and Kaname blinked, looking up, a bit startled. A warm smile and a pair of familiar, mildly amused lavender eyes was what he was met with and, involuntarily, his breath caught in his throat and his heart skipped a beat. Unable to speak for reasons he wasn't quite aware of, the pureblood could only stare at the silver-haired youth in front of him stupidly.

"You must have really missed that _'favorite drink' _of yours to be _this _happy at mere sight of it," Zero said, letting out another small chuckle before tilting his head to the side and asking with even more amusement in his tone than previously, "Or is it the cake?" Never in his life would Zero have pegged the pureblood as a sweet tooth. And he was pretty sure that no other person that knew Kaname would ever do so either.

So was it any wonder that he was so amused by the aforementioned vampire's unexpected yet endearingly genuine reaction?

"Oh, um…" Kaname tried to start, but faltered. It took him a few more seconds to pull his impossibly foolish – as the pureblood currently deemed himself to be – self together. "Yeah…You could say so…I guess…" Kaname replied a bit uncertainly, lowering his gaze briefly. Then he continued, this time with more confidence and with a charming smile tugging at his lips, "After all, _everything_ you cook is absolutely delicious, Zero-kun."

One silver eyebrow rose at that. Then another amused chuckled came from the young hunter and, taking a seat behind the table with a cup of caramel tea of his own as well, Zero replied, shaking his head gently, "You and your shameless sweet-talking again."

"Why, but I am telling the truth," Kaname answered with an innocent look on his face, his smile never fading. Which did nothing to convince Zero, even though he had no doubt that the pureblood _was _being honest.

"Sure you are," the younger male replied with a small snort of amusement before turning his attention to his tea and taking a sip from the cup.

Kaname didn't offer an answer to that and only continued smiling, quietly enjoying every moment of Zero's company. He missed that too. This somewhat calming, pleasant interaction…

Companionable silence that continued for some time settled over the room as the two drank their tea contently. It was only when Kaname tried a spoonful of his cake that Zero decided to break it with a question, "How is it?"

He received a soft smile when the brunet vampire returned his gaze to him once more. Then the actual reply came, accompanied by a small nod, "As expected of you, it's delicious, Zero-kun."

A quiet sigh of relief escaped the silver-haired teen without his knowledge and the corners of his lips went slightly up as well. Then, with a satisfied nod, Zero returned to his drink.

The two lapsed into comfortable silence once more. With his soft smile still in place, Kaname continued watching the young hunter before him. But all too soon Ichiru's words from earlier flashed across his mind, and contentment immediately disappeared from his features, now replaced by concern.

Slowly, the brunet vampire put his cup with tea down. Then, after a few more seconds of uncharacteristic of him hesitation, he spoke, "Zero-kun…About what Ichiru-kun said…"

Involuntarily, Zero froze. Kaname didn't fail to notice it and a worried frown returned to his features, but he continued nonetheless, "What exactly was he talking about?"

Zero didn't reply, his own smile long gone and replaced by uneasiness once more. For some while, he remained silent, simply staring at the cup in his hands contemplatively. Kaname gave him the time he needed, waiting patiently, even though internally, he couldn't help the anxiety that grew within him with every passing second.

Then, at long last, Zero answered with a question of his own, albeit a bit uncertainly, only now meeting the pureblood's gaze, "Kaname, are you…um…" There was a pause as, not for the first time when their current topic of conversation was concerned, the older Kiryuu twin struggled to find the right words. "Have you…_sensed_ anything out of the ordinary…today…?"

Kaname blinked, his eyes widening a bit in confusion. His frown turned to one of puzzlement and, tilting his head slightly to the side, he asked, "'Out of the ordinary'…?" He repeated, mentally going through his memories of this day and coming up with nothing abnormal. Well, safe for the uncalled presence of some of the members of his inner circle, but Kaname doubted that Zero was talking about that. "…I don't believe so…"

Disappointment was evident in the silver-haired teen's features at his received reply. His shoulders sagged a bit and he turned away, a barely audible _'Oh…' _escaping him. Lavender eyes turned contemplative once more and a thoughtful frown creased Zero's forehead.

The hunter didn't say anything else and silence took over again, only this time it was heavy and it ignited deep anxiety in Kaname's being. And as the brunet continued sitting in his place watching the younger teen before him, that unpleasant, sickeningly overwhelming feeling only increased in its intensity.

And he hated it. Just as he hated the fact that he was helpless against it. But even more than that, more than anything, Kaname hated that expression Zero currently had on his face.

He had seen many different emotions make their appearance on those familiar, beautiful features, but never in his life had he seen the boy look so…_unbearably_ _lost_…so impossibly stressed and worn out all of a sudden. And the sight made his chest tighten painfully.

_What _in the world _was _going on…?

"I must be going crazy…" came from Zero in a barely audible voice. One of his hands went up and ran through his hair somewhat shakily and a mirthless chuckle fell from his lips that were pulled into a bitter smile.

Kaname's eyes widened a fraction in bewildered worry. "Zero-kun...?" What did he mean by those words?

He didn't get any reaction from the younger teen even after a while of waiting. Zero just sat motionlessly staring into space unblinkingly with troubled look on his face, and by now Kaname was slowly but surely starting to quietly panic.

"Zero-kun," the pureblood called once again, more urgently this time. He was out of his seat and by Zero's side before he knew it, already dropping down on one knee. He touched Zero's unusually cold hand, hesitant at first, then took it in his, gently yet firmly, and tried to get the younger teen's attention once more, "Zero-kun, what is it? What is the matter?" At long last, amethyst eyes met his garnet ones and Kaname breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. Unconsciously, he gave the pale hand in his a light squeeze and, with a pleading look on his face, asked, "Tell me, Zero-kun."

It was only after another short while of evident hesitation that Zero found it in himself to answer. But even before he had the chance to start speaking, a familiar voice sounded, interrupting the two and bringing their attention to the doorway.

"Zero, Aidou-sempai and Shiki-sempai ask for seconds. Do we have any mo-" Yuuki stopped both in her tracks and speech upon entering the room, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight in front of them. Unable to utter a single word, the girl continued standing motionlessly where she was, staring at the two other occupants of the room unblinkingly. In her head, Yuuki tried to comprehend what exactly it was that she was seeing. But she failed to do so, as her mind went blank and the only thing she was currently aware of was her suddenly racing for reasons she didn't know heartbeat. Along with it came the slightly familiar tightening in her chest, and the brunet girl had to resist the urge to clutch at the area where that uncomfortable feeling was residing.

It was only after a few long seconds of strained silence that Yuuki could speak again.

"Um…Is something the matter?" She started uncertainly, sounding a bit weird even to her own ears. With all her might, she mentally prayed that it would go unnoticed as she continued, "Am I…Am I interrupting…?" Deep inside, she already knew the answer to her own question without either of the two males saying anything. She got such a feeling somehow, upon entering the room, and it was still there with her and refused to leave.

But she chose to ignore it along with what was in front of her very eyes. It wasn't the first time she did so, after all. And she was actually getting pretty good at it. Ignoring certain things and pretending to be oblivious to them, as well as believing in her wishful thinking, that is.

"No," came Zero's quiet voice. A weak smile made its way on his lips and he got up slowly, tiredly, but Kaname was the only one who noticed it. He got up as well while Zero continued, "Of course not. We were just talking."

"Zero-kun-" Kaname started when the silver-haired teen moved to leave. He still hadn't gotten his answer and he _wanted _to know what was wrong with Zero, what it was that made him so disturbingly agitated.

He didn't receive any verbal response. Only a soft, grateful, albeit still noticeably uncertain and tired smile coupled with a subtly imploring look that asked him to_ just let it go_.

Which Kaname did. Reluctantly and with great difficulty, unable to deny Zero his wish.

But only for now. For he would _still _get to the truth the next time around.

"Alright," the pureblood said in a near whisper and gave a slight nod. He released the hunter's arm that he only now realized he had grabbed at some point, and Zero's smile widened in gratitude as well as relief.

Yuuki frowned at the silent exchange between the two. Curious, she was about to ask what it was about, when her adopted brother's voice sounded again, calling her name.

"Y-yes?" Yuuki responded, stuttering slightly from surprise.

"Can I leave the rest to you and Ichiru?" Zero asked with an apologetic smile. "I'm a bit tired and want to retire earlier today."

"Oh…" the brunet girl blinked, taken aback for a moment, before returning to her cheerful self and replying happily, "Sure," she said with an enthusiastic nod, "leave everything to me!"

She received an amused smile and a small nod of gratitude. Then Zero returned his attention to Kaname and graced him with a smile as well, before saying his good night and leaving the room, oblivious to the pair of worried burgundy eyes that never left his form.

**-o- **

It was sometime by early morning that he woke up. He found himself in his younger twin's arms, pleasantly confined in familiar, soothing warmth that was silently comforting and protecting him from the world outside of Ichiru's gentle embrace. For the first few long, blurry seconds, he was perfectly content with his instinctive idea of going back to sleep, but a certain persistent feeling – one that wasn't new to him somehow – in the back of his mind stopped him from doing so.

Disoriented and not quite conscious of what he was doing, Zero got up and left their shared bed and soon their room as quietly as he could. Then he left the house, still in a slight daze, and before he knew it, the silver-haired teen was at another sanctuary of his – the stables.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Zero said with a soft smile to his dear friend Lily who had been asleep until but a moment ago. He received a small snort in response before the white mare took a few steps forward and leaned over the fence to nudge him playfully in the chest. Zero's smile widened and he responded to the affectionate gesture without hesitation, his hands automatically moving up to pet his friend's massive head. After which, as per their usual greeting ritual, Lily quickly went for his silver hair that she loved to chew on so much. Why though, neither Zero nor anyone else knew. And the fact that Lily never tried to do the same with Ichiru's perfectly identical – save for the length – to Zero's hair didn't help with solving that mystery in any way whatsoever.

But it certainly never failed to amuse her young master, and succeeded in evoking a soft chuckle from him this time around as well.

However, indulgent smile that Zero was currently wearing on his face didn't stay there for long as the next moment his hunter senses flared to life and he went still and impossibly rigid.

It was that unpleasant, vicious feeling that the silver-haired teen knew all too well by now. It came back. _Again_. Like it had been doing over and over again this entire week, as though taunting him. It was that that had been interfering with his sleep and causing his distress. It was that that made him feel unsafe in his own home and quietly tampered with his sanity…

And its source was creeping closer with every passing second.

The realization of it filled Zero with sudden panic that he could neither control nor get rid of. His pulse raced involuntarily, chest tightened. And as though he wasn't freaked out enough _already_, next came another highly alarming realization. It was realization of the fact that he had been careless enough to actually _leave _his only potential insurance – his gun, the Bloody Rose – behind in his room.

Internally, Zero cursed himself to hell and back for his own stupidity.

And it had crept even closer…

It felt like a shadow. A cold, dark, all-consuming deathly shadow that came to life and was extending its razor-sharp, hungry claws towards him. It practically _screamed_ of its overflowing darkness and sane madness, of bloodlust and violent intentions…

In all honesty, _how could __**anyone**__ not feel it_?! It was so close, so _impossibly _close…So much so that it was nearly _suffocating_ and yet…_Why _couldn't anyone sense it?

Or was it just him? Was he _really _going insane…? Just like he had thought he was throughout this entire week…?

With a start, Zero woke up from his racing thoughts when all of a sudden, Lily neighed and stomped her foot, then tossed her head and started to move from side to side restlessly. It was only then that the silver-haired teen regained his ability to move, and he immediately tried to calm the white mare. After a short while, he managed to do that, although not fully, as he could still sense traces of agitation from his friend.

But then other horses rose and joined them in their shared anxiety. They started to neigh and stomp and protest against the slow yet inevitable approach of the source of their distress in whatever way they could.

But it didn't help, as Zero could still sense it draw nearer in its painfully slow, taunting manner.

And all too soon, it reached its apparent destination and came to a stop.

Once again, Zero froze. His throat went dry and chest tightened unpleasantly, heart beginning to beat against his ribcage wildly. Breathlessly, he waited, internally praying for everything that he thought he sensed to actually turn out to be nothing but his sick, paranoid imagination.

Alas, it didn't.

"You can _feel _me, can't you…?" came that familiar yet foreign voice that the silver-haired hunter already knew. It was loud and clear even amongst all the noise around him. And it was saturated withmockery and cruel amusement.

Zero didn't respond, but slowly turned around to face his newly arrived undesired company. He was met with a languidly widening creepy smile that didn't suit the face it was plastered on at all. And it sent a cold, sickening shudder down Zero's stiff spine.

Meanwhile, the newcomer continued, tilting his head slightly to the side and blinking in mock innocence, "Why is that, I wonder?"

Silence settled between the two, interrupted only by the noise created by the unchangingly restless horses. It didn't last very long. Although to Zero it seemed like excruciating hours had passed before the maroon-haired vampire standing in front of him spoke again, his dark grin widening further, "What is the matter, little hunter? Too frightened to speak?"

He was. And he didn't need to go too deep to realize that. Although, naturally, Zero would never admit it out loud, and especially to the person who was causing his uncontrollable fear.

Once again, the silver-haired teen didn't answer, and the older male continued, "But there is no need for you to worry. I am here merely for observation and not going to hurt anyone," he spread his hands dramatically and shook his head with half-amused half-condescending smile on his face. "At least not yet, that is. _And_," uncharacteristically intent, curious icy eyes focused on him anew, and Zero barely suppressed the urge to flinch back, "I do find certain things here rather…_fascinating_…" Slowly, the vampire's smile widened and turned darker, as well as his gaze. "Wouldn't you agree, my dear hunter?"

Zero glared, then spoke at long last, "Who _are _you?"

The maroon-haired male didn't even try to feign confusion. If anything, his smirk only further grew wider in more than obvious amusement as he asked in reply, "Why, isn't that obvious?"

Zero scowled in annoyance. He did _not _like to be played with. "You're not Shiki-sempai."

"Oh? And what, pray tell, makes you think so?"

"I _know _you're not him."

"Even if _no one else_other than _you _believes that?" Having received no reply, the noble continued, mockery clear in his tone, "It must have been so frustrating…so confusing…You probably even started thinking yourself insane at some point in time, didn't you, little hunter?"

"Stop calling me that," Zero growled with an angry scowl on his face.

His head tilting back, the maroon-haired vampire let out a deep, darkly delighted laugh, genuinely amused. "Oh, how entertaining indeed," he spoke after calming down. Then his eyes narrowed and amusement in them toned down noticeably, now replaced by an evil, dangerous glint. His voice sent another involuntary chill down Zero's spine when he continued next, although the teen managed to hide his involuntary reaction rather well. "But not as much as _teasing _you with my presence, I'm afraid…It is most unfortunate for you though that not even my dear nephew seems to be able to sense me when I don't wish him to…now isn't it?"

Zero blinked, frowning. "Nephew…?" What was that vampire talking about…?

He didn't receive a reply. The maroon-haired noble before him only stared at him silently in that creepy, unfamiliar manner with matching smile that widened further and was completely unlike the Shiki that Zero was used to. And then, with yet another chuckle, he just turned around and left without looking back, leaving a confused yet undeniably relieved – although he did his best not to show that on the surface – hunter behind.

In spite of his now increased questions, Zero chose not to try stopping the other.

**-o- **

"I don't recall granting you permission to leave the dorm," sounded Kaname's voice that was the first thing that greeted the noble vampire upon his return to the Moon Dormitory. "Where have you been, Shiki?"

Shiki turned to look at his pureblood leader and blinked, somewhat dazedly, as if it was only now that he actually _saw _the person in front of him. His usual impassive icy gaze remained on the brunet male for a few long, silence-filled seconds, before he tilted his head slightly to the side and finally spoke, "Did I go out somewhere?"

It was Kaname's turn to blink, but in surprise and bewilderment, although he did a splendid job at preventing those emotions from showing on his face – as always.

It didn't take him long to come to himself though, and as soon as he did, the pureblood asked sternly with a small frown, "I beg your pardon?"

"Wasn't I always here?" Shiki replied with another question.

As hard as he tried, Kaname couldn't find any traces of lie in the younger vampire's words. And it disturbed him greatly. He didn't like it at all – whatever itwas that was going on.

Kaname was about to continue his interrogation, when another voice, cheerful as ever, sounded from behind him.

"Shiki! You're back!" Takuma said with his usual radiant smile firmly in place. "How was your walk?"

Already busy digging through his pockets for one of his boxes of pocky, the maroon-haired vampire shrugged before replying distractedly in a flat tone, "No idea."

"Huh?" was all Takuma could manage. He was obviously taken aback by his roommate's answer.

But Shiki paid the other's reaction no mind and only yawned sleepily before retrieving himself one strawberry-flavored pocky stick and starting to munch on it sluggishly. Then he moved forward and, with an absently mumbled _'Good night'_, went past the two older vampires and upstairs, not offering any explanation to his previous words.

He felt so very tired all of a sudden…Even though he mostly didn't do anything throughout this entire night.

Which, now that he thought about it, was somewhat a blur.

A faint frown came to Shiki's features when he tried to remember the night's events and failed. But it didn't stay there for long, disappearing after only a few brief seconds with another nonchalant shrug of the maroon-haired noble's shoulders.

Ah well, he decided he would think about it later, after a nice, much-needed rest, seeing as now he was way too sleepy to do anything anyway.


	14. Captured Memories

_**A/N: **__Took me so, so much longer than I had expected this time around as well *sighs* But hey, it's still much faster than the previous time, and I have been and still _am_ pretty busy __too, so I'm happy that I actually managed to get the chapter out at all. Now I can calmly write my term paper that has to be turned in by the end of this month, and yet I still haven't even started it -_-' Yeah, I know. I'm done and finished. But I'll stil__l try to do my best and make it in time. Dear God, please help me *prays*_

_Anyway! Thank you all, dearests, for your wonderful reviews, favs and adds *bows deeply* They made me immensely happy :)_

_Disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine. _

_And now without further ado…Hope you will enjoy reading! :D_

**Chapter 14: Captured Memories**

_It happened on one winter day a long, long time ago – at least in human years. _

_Some weeks prior to that…strange…event, he had visited his __dear sister after a few months of being apart…A few miserable, lonely, dark months that actually felt like years even to _him_. So when he _finally _managed to find an opportunity to visit her at Cross's house, he did so immediately and without a second though__t. _

_As always, his precious girl was happy to see him, and she met him with the warmest, brightest and most beautiful smile he had ever seen, and at once, all the darkness, coldness and loneliness Kaname had been feeling all these months retreated, now replaced by wonderful, pleasant warmth that only his sweet Yuuki could ever provide him with. _

_Well, at least so Kaname had strongly believed back then. But that was beyond the point now._

_Just like Yuuki, Cross had welcomed him to his house and, after some short but nice talk accompanied by a cup of tea, the blond man left the two brunets to their own devices for them to catch up, for which Kaname was grateful. They talked – although, as usual, it was mostly Yuuki who did all the talking, excited as ever to tell her precious savior all about the recent events in her life. With greatest pleasure, the young pureblood listened to his beloved sister, nodding encouragingly every once in a while and quietly chuckling to himself from time to time, a soft, indulgent smile never leaving his lips._

_But then, at some point, suddenly even _more _excited – if possible – than she already was, Yuuki started to talk about some new – and first ever at that, due to her sheltered life thus far – 'friends' of hers that _Kaname_ knew _nothing _about. And, instantly, the pureblood felt…troubled, to say the least. He didn't like _not _knowing about new people in his sister's life – and especially when they came into it _without _his awareness and permission. _

_Kaname didn't really pay much attention to Yuuki's next words about those newly acquired friends of hers, too absorbed in his anxious thoughts. Automatically, his sharp mind started to come up with various strategies, plans and ways to protect his precious girl from whatever threat the two unknown boys – as the brunet vampire understood from those few bits of Yuuki's overly enthusiastic and sometimes a bit disjointed from too much excitement blabber that did reach his ears – could pose to her. _

_What? It was a perfectly normal reac__tion on Kaname's part. After all, no matter how small or young or harmless-looking, no one – and he meant _absolutely no one _– could be trusted when it came to his beloved __sister. Who cared if they were just a couple of children? Until he was proven otherwi__se, Kaname _would _view them as a potential threat. _

_Because in _their _world, in the world of darkness, such were the natural laws of life. And Kaname had long learned to follow those laws – for his own sake and, most importantly, for the sake of his sweet Y__uuki…_

_Thus, there was no doubt in the young pureblood's mind about what course of action he should take next. And even his talk with Cross, which took place later that same evening, didn't change his mind, in spite of the ex-hunter's attempts to assure hi__m that he had nothing to worry about, because it_ _was actually _Cross himself _who had introduced Yuuki to those unknown children, who were also the sons of his close friends, as it turned out._

_Needless to say, Kaname was far from happy with the man's actions that were taken without his consent. But he chose not to express his dissatisfaction. At least for now. He decided he would wait and observe first and then assess this new situation after getting some more information. _

_Which was exactly what he did. And so here he was, on his way to the place where Cross said he would bring Yuuki to meet with those nameless friends of hers, with every intention to find out who they were and whether or not they were as harmless as the ex-hunter deemed them to be. _

_So that Cross – or anyone else who had hunter or vampire blood in their veins – wouldn't be able to take notice of his naturally strong pureblood presence, Kaname was almost fully suppressing it in order to ensure his complete inconspicuousness. And it worked. For when he got out of the car and, after walking some considerable distance, stopped to stand near an old, massive tree on a small hill a safe distance away from a group of people in the snow-covered field far ahead of him, neither Cross nor another man who was there beside him and who, as Kaname just realized, was also a hunter, managed to detect him. _

_He chose a rather convenient place for an observation. It allowed him a clear view of the small group in the distance and, thanks to his beyond perfect vision, the brunet could afford to stay far away so that no human – hunter or otherwise – would be able to see him. And so there Kaname stood, his burgundy eyes immediately locking on the small forms of three children playing in the snow happily._

_His dear Yuuki's wide, radiant smile that she currently had on her beautiful, slightly flushed from cold face was the first thing that came into view, and it made Kaname's chest tightened uncomfortably. _

_Never in his life had he thought that it was even _possible _for him to feel this way when seeing his precious sister's wonderful smile – one that he always loved and cherished more than anything, one that _always _made him feel nothing but warmth and joy…But it _was _possible, as it turned out. And he didn't like what __he felt. But even more than that, he didn't like it when it wasn't _him _and _only _him that was the reason for his beloved's happiness, when it wasn't _him _she was smiling at so warmly, but some _complete strangers_. _

_It made him feel lonely… Immeasurably, mise__rably lonely and somewhat forgotten to a small but palpable extent. And it was painful. Very much so. It was the first time in his life that Kaname felt it and he had no idea how to get rid of or even handle it, but what the young pureblood _did _know for su__re, was the fact that he _never_ wanted to experience it _ever _again._

_Impulsively annoyed all of a sudden, Kaname tore his gaze from Yuuki and uncharacteristically glared at the two other children near the brunet girl, only now really paying them attention. _

_But right then, in an instant, every bit of Kaname's exasperation disappeared into thin air at once as his eyes locked with a pair of big, innocently curious eyes of unique amethyst color the pureblood had never before happened to see in his entire life. And they looked straight at him, their gaze steady and piercing. _

_For one long moment there, Kaname couldn't move, paralyzed. His pulse raced uncontrollably and he could almost literally _feel _his heart beat wildly in his chest. For no reason whatsoever, __sudden panic welled up within the pureblood. _

_He knew perfectly well that those clear eyes couldn't really see him – there was _no way _they could, as it was physically impossible for human eyesight – simple as that. And the fact that their owner had a __strong hunter blood – which Kaname could sense even from where he was currently standing – in his veins didn't change that simple law of human physique. But those lavender orbs continued to stare at him unwaveringly, certain that he _was _indeed present even__ if they couldn't find his form to prove it. _

_And Kaname stared back at them, vaguely taking in the rest of the little hunter's features, unknowingly entranced by their unique coloring. _

_All too soon, however, the spell was broken as that curious gaze left him to focus on someone else. And yet again, Kaname was taken aback when he was met with the exact same face, same hair, same coloring when his eyes landed on the one the little hunter turned his attention to. _

'Twins…' _Kaname blinked. It was the first__ time he ever saw ones, and it was a rather weird experience somehow, even though the pureblood knew that it wasn't so completely uncommon for humans to have twins – rare indeed, but still very much possible, which couldn't be said about the vampires. Howe__ver…_

_A slight frown marred the brunet's features. Those two were…_

'Hunter…twins…?' _And _completely _identical at that. Well, save for the eyes and auras. The latters were only similar – just the way they were supposed to be, Kaname guessed – while the for__mers couldn't be more different in spite of being so undeniably alike outwardly._

_The second boy grasped the sleeve of his brother's thick overcoat and, tugging at it lightly, started saying something. Curious, Kaname strained his ears to hear the children._

_"…is it, Zero-nii?" the younger – as the pureblood now knew – twin looked in his direction, his amethyst eyes sweeping the horizon briefly. But he found nothing, as expected, and a small frown came to his chubby face. _

_The older one – 'Zero', apparently – remained silent. Once again, his searching gaze shifted towards Kaname, and the brunet felt his heart rate become a little too irregular for his liking anew. The pureblood stood transfixed, staring back into clear lavender eyes that couldn't see him yet knew he was still there._

_Then, at long last, the boy spoke, "No…" he answered his twin absently, still focused on that 'something' which captured his undivided attention. "It's nothing…just-" _

_"Zero-chan! Ichiru-chan!" sounded another voice, cheerful as ever, interrupting the older twin and tearing his gaze from Kaname once more. It was Yuuki. She waved to them happily from where she stood, her bright smile never leaving her face, and called the two to join her and continue their snow games. _

_The younger twin, 'Ichiru', gave a small nod, then turned to his twin and, with an inquiring look, tilted his head slightly to the side in a wordless question that the older boy seemed to understand somehow, as he only shook his head wordlessly in response and, with a soft smile and one final glance in Kaname's direction, followed his twin when the latter tugged at his arm and pulled him away. _

_Kaname followed the two boys with his gaze as they went off towards a waiting Yuuki. He stayed where he was for a few long seconds more, then turned around and vanished altogether._

Kaname never saw the two boys again after that day – and apparently, neither did Yuuki for reasons the pureblood didn't know and hardly bothered to discover. It wasn't until that one fateful night that their 'reunion' of sorts happened, but Kaname was the only one who knew that, as the three children had no recollections of their childhood encounters from such a long – at least to them – time ago.

But Kaname did. He _always _remembered. Because, for some reason, he couldn't forget.

And then, after a few more days, when Zero was fully aware of him again and could not only sense, but also actually _see_ him…they _really _met.

And just like the first time, Zero had picked up on his presence right away. He had looked at him the same way with those very same amethyst eyes, still as clear and piercing as they had been the day the brunet vampire saw and got unknowingly enchanted with them for the very first time…

And now, Kaname couldn't help but wonder fleetingly…if _it all _had already begun even back then…

**-o- **

"Cross! Dinner is long ready, so get your idiotic ass to the-" Ichiru said in a mildly annoyed tone, entering his guardian's study, but stopping almost immediately upon taking in the weird scene before him, "the hell is _that_?" There was a whole mountain of pictures on the floor. Cross sat in the middle of all that with one picture in each hand and a bunch of what looked like photo albums around him, mumbling something under his nose with the stupidest grin Ichiru had ever seen plastered on his face.

"Oh, Ichiru-kun!" the ex-hunter looked up and Ichiru had to resist the urge to flinch back as the man's smile got even wider and brighter – if possible. "Is it dinner time already?"

"I just said it is. And we're tired of waiting for you to come and take your damn seat at the table," Ichiru replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "But that aside for now, what the hell is going on here?"

"Oh, you mean these?"

_'No, a crazy man sitting on the fl__oor in the middle of the room with an idiotic smile on his face and surrounded by hundreds of pictures and probably a dozen of albums is totally normal,' _Ichiru mentally snorted.

Cross continued without waiting for an answer, "They are my treasured photos of all of _you_, my precious family! I've been collecting them all these years and just look how many I have now!" He spread his arms to emphasize his point, his eyes almost literally sparkling with childlike joy.

Ichiru hummed absent-mindedly, taking another look at the whole amount of the scattered pictures. And then one of them caught his attention. "Is that…?" the teen said quietly to himself without finishing, his eyes widening a little in surprise. He walked further into the room, barely avoiding stepping on the photos, and picked up the one he was interested in.

"What is it, Ichiru-kun? Did you find the one y-" Cross started asking, but stopped when he saw the picture Ichiru was looking at. "Oh…" His happy smile was replaced by a sad one, a nostalgic look taking over his features. "And here I thought I lost this one." Which certainly wasn't so hard, considering the sheer amount of photos here.

For a few long seconds, Ichiru continued looking at the picture in his hand, his neutral expression back in place. Then he asked, "When was this taken?"

"Hmm…" Cross hummed thoughtfully, his light brows furrowing in contemplation for a couple of seconds before his face lightened up with a soft smile once more. "On your and Zero-kun's fourth birthday!" He nodded to himself while continuing, "Yeah, I believe so."

"Oh," came Ichiru's toneless response. He fell silent for a few more seconds, only continuing to look at the picture in his hand wordlessly with his cold amethyst eyes in detached contemplation. Then he uttered absently in a barely audible voice, "I almost forgot what they looked like…" Not that he really tried to retain it in his memory anyway – terrible as that may sound.

Cross sent him another sad, sympathetic smile, but didn't offer any verbal reply. He only gave the younger boy a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"Can I have it?" Ichiru asked all of a sudden after another while of brooding silence.

Cross blinked, taken aback. Somehow that question took him completely by surprise in spite of the fact that it was absolutely normal. Where such reaction came from though, he couldn't even begin to guess.

"Sure," the ex-hunter nodded dazedly. "You don't have to ask. It's yours."

"Thanks," Ichiru replied simply after sparing another two seconds to look at the picture one last time before putting it into the pocket of his jeans.

Then the teen remembered what he had come for in the first place and his previous irritation returned. Turning to Cross, who was already back on the floor in his pile of photos, Ichiru was about to start voicing his displeasure at the old man's tardiness when, once again, somethingin the corner of his vision caught his attention and distracted him from what he was going to do. Only this time that _something _evoked a much stronger reaction from Ichiru.

"The _hell _is _this_?" Ichiru demanded, aghast, his eyes wide with shock as he made his way past Cross and towards the stack of pictures that captured his partly confused partly horrified attention and bent down to collect a few of them in his hands. They were of him and Zero together. From when they were little to their current age. And Ichiru sure as hell did _not _remember _ever _giving Cross permission to take them – or any other pictures, for that matter. And he was more than certain that the same could be said about Zero. They knew better than to go along with Cross's ridiculous – and more than often outright crazy – ideas. So, _obviously_, the crazy man had gone and taken the damn photos secretly.

"Oh, these ones are my absolute favorites!" the blond idiot exclaimed happily with his usual goofy grin in place. Clearly, in his eyes there was _nothing _wrong with what he had done. "Especially this one here," Cross continued enthusiastically, pointing to the picture of Ichiru and Zero sleeping snuggled up together in their shared bed when they were smaller – probably about eleven or twelve years old. "Just _look _how _cute _the two of you are!" He literally squealed, also jumping up with excitement like a total idiot that he was.

Ichiru barely restrained himself from facepalming and simply looked at Cross with an unreadable expression on his face. _'Okay,' _he thought, _'It's official now. The old man is insane. Completely and utterly insane.' _And if five minutes ago he _still _had some doubts, now they were gone forever, together with the last bits of his irrational faith in remnants of the man's non-existent common sense.

"_When_ did you even take these?" Ichiru asked then, interrupting Cross's incessant and very annoying ramble about him and Zero and Yuuki and how _'adorable' _they all were – and especially so when little. "No, wait." Ichiru raised his hand and signaled for the blond to stop, shaking his head. "Don't answer that. I don't want to know." The whole thing was creepy enough already. He didn't need the details. "What I do want though is a double lock on our room's door. And it should be there by tomorrow's night latest." Cross opened his mouth to say something, but Ichiru stopped him by raising his hand again and continuing, "Otherwise I'm telling Yagari-shishou, or worse yet – Kuran." The ex-hunter's face paled noticeably in what Ichiru assumed was fear, and a satisfied smirk slowly made its way on his lips. "So unless you want to get your crazy ass repeatedly shot and slashed, you better fulfill my _request_. And fast."

"Oh come now, Ichirun." Ichiru's eyebrow twitched at the stupid nickname, but he chose not to say anything, knowing it wouldn't help anyway. Meanwhile Cross went on with his Drama Queen act – all puppy eyes and crocodile tears. The usual. "Surely you wouldn't be so cruel to your poor old daddy!"

Ichiru snorted internally, but outwardly didn't react in any way and only continued looking at his guardian impassively.

"And besides! I didn't do anything wrong! After all, what parent doesn't want to take pictures of their precious babies?"

"In _that _amount?" Ichiru asked, arching a skeptical eyebrow.

But Cross was unfazed and only beamed brightly – and almost proudly – at him, exclaiming happily in response, "That's the whole point! The more the better!"

The silver-haired teen gave a heavy sigh. His eyes slid shut and he pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in silent surrender.

Honestly, Cross and his crazy antics…The man was simply unbelievable. And he was already starting to give Ichiru some _major _headache.

"Whatever," the younger Kiryuu said after taking a few silent seconds to compose his thoughts. "Just get the damn lock fitted on our door before _I _get _you _beaten to a pulp for your unhealthy habits of a crazy old creep."

Before the blond idiot could enter his puppy-eyed, whiny Drama Queen mode again, Ichiru continued, "And be grateful that I'm not confiscating these," he held up the pictures before shoving them into Cross's hands, then he went past the man and towards the door. "Dinner is ready, so hurry up and get to the damn table. We can't start without you."

Immediately, the ex-hunter's face lightened up at the words and, all starry-eyed and grinning from ear to ear, he cried joyfully, "Aww, how sweet my adorable little babies are! Being so caring to their old daddy!" and moved to hug his adoptive son. However, as per usual, Ichiru easily dodged the 'attack' by stepping aside, and then left altogether, not sparing Cross who was now lying face down on the floor a single glance.

**-o- **

Kaito had his gun out and ready the second he sensed a vampire presence in the vicinity.

He could tell it wasn't a rabid Level E. And it wasn't a high-class vampire either. In fact, now that Kaito really paid attention, it was a sickeningly familiar presence he knew all too well. Although that particular revelation didn't exactly encourage him to put his weapon away. If anything, now his urge to shoot something grew even stronger.

But he resisted it. Just like he always did – hard as it was. Because he _had to_.

"I thought _Zero_ was supposed to meet me?" Kaito said when the source of his irritation and secret distress entered his field of vision. Needless to say, it was evident that Ichiru was far from delighted to see him too. Well, at least that the two hunters unchangingly had in common.

"He couldn't make it," Ichiru replied with a slight scowl. "So sorry to disappoint you." Naturally, he wasn't sorry at all. And they both knew it.

"Oh?" Kaito raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What happened? You drained him to the point where he couldn't even move?"

"Shut up." Ichiru's scowl darkened, his irritation more clear in his expression now. "Get going already. The sooner we get to the damn academy the better."

Kaito let out a derisive snort, but complied nevertheless. It wasn't like he was eager to spend any more time in Ichiru's company than necessary. "You didn't answer my question. Why, did I hit the bull's eye?"

"In your dreams." He would never hurt his twin like that, no matter how hungry for his delectable blood he could be sometimes. "Zero had something else to attend to and I offered to go instead of him. End of story."

Dark eyebrow rose once more, just as skeptical as before. "Oh? Who would've thought that you could actually be so_ thoughtful..._" The older hunter said, emphasizing the last word with mockery clear in his tone. Then a dark smirk made its way on his face and he continued, "And so brave too."

Ichiru's eyes narrowed. "What is _that _supposed to mean?"

"That maybe you shouldn't have come here all alone, with no Zero around to protect you."

The younger teen bit back a menacing growl. "Is that a threat?"

"Just an educated guess," Kaito answered calmly with an indifferent shrug. "You do remember the result of pretty much _all_ of our encounters so far, don't you?"

Ichiru snorted, "You give yourself too much credit. As always."

"Am I? Your big bro isn't here now to save your sorry vampire ass."

Contrary to the ash brown-haired hunter's expectations, Ichru's smirk returned, now wider and darker. "Exactly," the teen started, lavender eyes flashing bright red briefly, and Kaito didn't miss it. His posture stiffened and he instinctively gripped his gun tighter while Ichiru continued, "Which means I don't have to suppress that vampire nature of mine that you detest so strongly and can let it go all out and have lots of fun tearing your head off your shoulders."

Hazel eyes narrowed in a cold glare and Kaito growled warningly, "Don't forget _who _you're talking to, Ichiru. I'm not Yagari. And sure as _hell _not your softy of a brother, so I _will _shoot you, and do it with _greatest _pleasure too."

Ichiru was unfazed. "Not if I get to you first. And besides," his smirk widened, turning somewhat mocking now, "do you _ho__nestly _believe you can kill me?"

Dark eyebrow rose at the question. "I don't see what could possibly stop me."

Ichiru gave a derisive snort before answering, "Facing Zero after that, for example." When Kaito didn't give any verbal response and only kept on watching him carefully from the corner of his vision with narrowed eyes as they proceeded on their way, the younger teen continued, "You can hate _me_ all you want, but for _Zero _you _do_ care. That's why you've been tirelessly trying to get him to _'realize'_– as _you _probably see it – what a 'danger' and 'twisted monstrosity' his twin _'really' _is at every opportunity you got throughout all these years, haven't you?"

Kaito hardly showed any reaction to the other's words, but there _was_ a subtle change in his demeanor, and Ichiru didn't fail to pick up on it. His smirk widened further. He turned his gaze to the road ahead of them and continued in a mock sympathetic tone, "What a pity though, that the one you regard as a little brother you never had always chooses to dismiss your genuine concerns for his well-being...All in favor of that same 'dangerous, twisted monstrosity that leeches off of him his entire life'..." He turned his attention to the older hunter once more, his head tilting slightly to the side, "Right?"

Kaito scowled, growling, "Bullshit." Never in his life would he admit that Ichiru was – _kind of _– right. Even if it _was _indeed so. "Don't speak as though you know what I think or feel. You don't know a thing about me."

Ichiru snorted, "Maybe," he shrugged with a faint smile playing on his lips. "But I don't really need to know much about you to understand how you feel about Zero and me. It's not so hard to see through your pretense, you know. Especially when you take a little time to observe." Which Ichiru was, without exaggeration, _very _good at. "So tell me," the younger hunter continued after a short-lived pause, turning to face Kaito anew, "do you _really_ want to deprive my brother of the only family he has left? To take away his _twin _that has been with him since even _before _he was born…?"

His questions were met with silence. But Ichiru didn't need an answer anyway, as Kaito's expression said it all. Bitter defeat, however concealed, was unmistakable there.

The older male averted his gaze, scowling, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Another snort sounded from Ichiru. He returned his attention to the road, a small satisfied smirk tugging at his lips as he said quietly, "Thought so."

No word was uttered after that as the two continued on their way to the Cross Academy.

**-o- **

He had had a little over three weeks of rest from that paralyzingly terrifying, cold feeling, and secretly, he had been praying that it would never come back – even though he knew in his troubled mind that it would hardly be the case. And he didn't have to wait long to be proven right in his apprehensive guess.

"How have you been in my absence, little hunter?" came the foreign familiar voice, and Zero let out an involuntary sigh. So much for hoping that maybe, just _maybe_,he would be ignored this time around.

The hunter turned around to face the one that spoke to him, meeting with that same familiar face with that same unfamiliar expression back on it again. Strangely enough though, he didn't feel as desperately horrified now as he had before. That cold, unpleasant darkness was still there, emitting from Shiki's form in waves, and it was making him sick as much as before, yes. And his hunter senses were just as agitated too, but by now, after their numerous weird encounters, Zero stopped reacting so strongly to the other's overpowering presence. Even if undeniable fear was unchangingly within him and it was more than _just _uncomfortable to be anywhere near that creepy vampire whose name he still didn't know.

Zero didn't reply, so the maroon-haired noble resumed speaking, smirking, "Oh, come now, don't be like that. I came all this way," he spread his arms dramatically, emphasizing his words, his expression turning to one of mock hurt, "just to greet you, after all."

"Didn't you mean to say that you came all this way just to have some _fun _by _mocking _me _again_?"

Shiki shrugged, snorting softly with laughter, an amused smirk back on his face, "Well, that's one way to put it."

"Don't you have anything else to do? Or somewhere else to be?" Zero said with another sigh and turned his back on Shiki to continue on his way to his intended destination. He was tired and not really in the mood for idle chatter.

"Hmm…" the vampire hummed softly, pretending to think over his reply. "No, not right now," he answered, already following after Zero. "Why, aren't you at all happy to see me?"

"No," was the younger teen's blunt reply.

Unfortunately for him though, it seemed to only increase the noble's amusement even more, as the next moment he threw his head back and laughed loudly.

"Entertaining as ever, aren't you?" Shiki said upon calming down, still chuckling lightly. But then something else caught his attention, and his brows drew together in a faint frown. He blinked, tilting his head to the side a bit, and then caught up to Zero in an instant and grabbed him by the arm.

Zero stopped dead in his tracks, surprised. Widened in involuntary alarm lavender eyes immediately turned to Shiki, and their owner instinctively tried to get away from the said vampire. But he was unsuccessful in his attempt and only ended up getting closer to the noble, who promptly tightened his hold on him in response.

Then, to Zero's shock and greatest bewilderment, the older male _sniffed _him.

_'What the…' _the hunter thought, frowning, ready to voice and finish his question out loud when the vampire hummed softly and said absently, "You smell of lilies…"

Zero blinked, taken aback. He couldn't find a reply, rendered speechless by the other's bizarre behavior. He didn't really need to offer one though, as Shiki continued after a momentary pause, "I never took you for a flower lover," he said, an unspoken question clear in his eyes.

"I'm not," Zero uttered unconsciously in response when the noble let go of him – at long last. Their close proximity was making the silver-haired teen _extremely _uncomfortable, to say the least, and he immediately stepped away. "Not that it's any of your business."

The vampire smirked again and clearly was about to give a retort of his own when a familiar, ever so cheerful voice called out to him.

"Shiki! There you are!" came from Ichijou Takuma, and never in his life had Zero been as happy and relieved to see the blond as he was now. "I've been looking for you everywhere!" the noble continued as he came up to the two of them, all happy and sunny as ever. Then he turned to Zero and nodded lightly in greeting, "It's nice to see you, Zero-kun. How are you tonight?"

"Fine…" Zero nodded in response, a bit absently, "Thanks."

"What is it?" Shiki chose to speak then, turning to Ichijou.

"Oh," the blond blinked, returning his attention to the younger noble, "Kaname-sama demands your presence back in the dorms. You left without his permission." Takuma's expression turned uneasy now and he added, almost cringing, "_Again_." And needless to say, Kaname was _very _displeased…

"Is that so?" Shiki said in reply in his usual bored tone. "Well then, you can tell him that I will be back soon. I'm not finished _here _yet." He cast a quick glance in Zero's direction, an uncharacteristic, dark smirk coming to his lips briefly.

"But Shiki-" Takuma started to protest with a positively panicked look on his face from the unexpected reply he was given. But he didn't get to voice whatever it was he was going to say, because the next moment another presence joined them – one very unhappy at that.

"You will return to the Moon Dormitory at once, Shiki," came from Kaname in a cold and, to Takuma, very much frightening tone. "And you will stay put there until _my _further instructions. Is _that_ understood?"

It was hardly a question but a clear order. Although for a moment there, it looked like Shiki was going to protest. But he chose to obey the command, albeit reluctantly.

A small smirk returned to his previously imperceptibly darkened expression, he put his hand on his chest and gave a mocking bow, saying, "_As you wish_…Kaname-_sama_…"

And he left together with a still noticeably nervous Takuma, but not without giving Zero another brief, creepy smile that sent an unpleasant shudder down the silver-haired teen's spine.

"Zero-kun," Kaname called softly then, immediately gaining the said teen's full attention. "I need you to tell me what is going on."

Automatically, Zero opened his mouth to give another one of his standard _'It's nothing' _in answer to the pureblood's question. But he was unable to do so this time around, stopped by the worriedly imploring look Kaname was giving him with his soulful burgundy eyes.

After a few more seconds of silent hesitancy, a quiet sigh of surrender escaped Zero. And then, with a small nod of his head, the hunter uttered a soft _'Okay'_ in response and complied with Kaname's request.


	15. Special Existence

_**A/N: **__And hello again, dearests! I'm really and truly sorry that this chapter took so damn long. I honestly hoped that since it's summer and vacation and all I would be able to post lots and lots of updates, but unfortunately, I am actually busier now than I usually am during my studies at Uni. I still have my part-time jobs__, and they take up the majority__ of my__ time__. Plus, I'm terribly slow and even more terribly lazy, and quite frankly, the summer is killing me already. I have to say I am rather tired for some reason *sighs*_

_And btw, to those who are wondering about my other story (yet again) and actually reading this, I AM s__till working on it and__ writ__ing__ the next chapter__, but I _am _a bit stuck here, and__ do need some time. It _is _a hard and tough and heavy story to write, so I do need my time to keep (or even make) it a quality work. I know it's impossibly annoying, and I am terribly sorry for that, but it is what it is. So I can only hope that you can wait some more. Please__ *bows low*_

_But anyway! Enough with all the excuses. I know they hardly help anyway. So let's move on to the main parts, shall we? ;)_

_Huge thanks to everyone for the favs, alerts and, of course for all the wonderful and incredibly inspiring reviews! Each and every one of them made my often not-so-perfect days SO much better! *tears of joy*_

_Disclaimer stands, warnings and everything else remain the same, and all mistakes are mine. _

_Sorry again__,__ and now, without further ado…Please enjoy! :D_

**Chapter 15: Special Existence**

"So our little hunter _finally _told you?" were the first words that greeted Kaname upon his return to the Moon Dorms. And now that his recent mild suspicions were confirmed, he could tell for sure that at these very moments it wasn't his cousin who was talking to him at all.

Mentally, Kaname uncharacteristically cursed and kicked himself _hard _numerous times for being stupid enough not to notice earlier. Much, much earlier. For, as he had gathered from Zero, these…_visits _of his _'uncle' _had been transpiring for quite some time, and rather frequently too. Not to mention that it all had been happening pretty much right under his nose, while he was foolishly unaware of it like some stupid, oblivious human – not to offend humans, of course. But it _was _true that overwhelming majority of them _was _blissfully ignorant of all dangers and threats surrounding them in their everyday life – such was their nature, and so when it came to them, it was acceptable. But it was definitely _not _the case with Kaname and _his _world. Thus the pureblood's anger and deep frustration with himself.

"Oh, come now, don't make such a face," came the familiar voice with its currently unfamiliarly sickening tone, and for the umpteenth time that night, Kaname got the strongest urge to slap himself. He must have been _completely_ _deaf_ and _blind _not to realize sooner. "You should be grateful I was kind enough not to do anything to any of your precious human…_'frien__ds'_…and when there were _so _many opportunities for it too…" the smirk that the clearly possessed Shiki had been wearing on his face all that time widened, and Kaname's hands curled into fists at his sides, his jaw set tight and expression dark. The younger vampire continued, "Getting soft, aren't you, Kaname?"

"Shut up," the pureblood growled out threateningly, but the other vampire remained unfazed. "And leave _them _out of it."

"I'm afraid I can't _quite _grant that request of yours, dear _'nephew'_…For while I may have lost some of my original interest in a certain relative of ours for the time being...there is another _fascinating _thing in this academy that has caught my attention." Shiki's lips lifted some more as his smirk widened further. "I believe you know _who _I am talking about..."

Before either of the two could even blink, the pureblood was pinning Shiki to the wall by the neck, his narrowed eyes blazing dangerously and fangs gleaming, fingers tight around the younger vampire's pale throat.

Kaname knew he was making a mistake, he _knew _it was the exact kind of reaction the other _wanted _to get from him. Yes, in his head he understood it all too well, but he still failed to restrain himself from responding the way he did.

And yet the possessed vampire in his tight grip stayed unfazed. If anything, it only seemed like he was all the more amused – at least so his annoyingly smug expression suggested.

Letting out a quiet, threatening growl, Kaname pressed the younger vampire further into the wall, barely containing himself from simply snapping the slender neck in his hold. Then he spoke, "You _will _leave them alone. You will leave _him _alone…And you will _never _come near him again. Not anymore." He wouldn't allow it.

"Oh?" One delicate eyebrow rose, icy eyes glinting with uncharacteristic, derisive mirth. "And what, pray tell, will stop me? _You_?"

Before Kaname could reply, the expression on Shiki's face slowly turned blank, then his form slackened all of a sudden and he lost consciousness. Internally cursing everything to hell for the umpteenth time that evening, Kaname released his hold on the other vampire and let him fall, his face still set in a dark scowl as his _relative's _last words kept resounding in his agitated mind.

**-o-**

After all the shocking revelations that had almost literally fallen on her in the past few months, Yuuki honestly thought that nothing could surprise or even affect her in any way anymore, but as it turned out, she was – _yet again _– wrong. So very, _very _wrong. And once more, when she thought and sincerely hoped that her inner self couldn't get any uglier, it turned out that, yet _again_, she couldn't be more mistaken.

Only this time, this particular new revelation of Yuuki's made her seriously afraid of some part of herself that the girl now knew was quietly sleeping within her.

It all had started with a dream. A disjointed, confusing, bizarre, filled with blood and decisively disturbing one. It had given Yuuki a fright when she had just woken up, but mere minutes later whatever it was she had seen in her sleep suddenly faded away from her distressed mind without leaving a trace, and soon she simply had no idea _why _she had been so agitated upon waking up in the first place. And so, since she couldn't really make anything out of that supposed nightmare, she had chosen to dismiss it in the end after some time of attempted pondering on it.

The only problem was that _it _refused to get dismissed so easily…

It had come back the next night. And the night after that. And then some more nights after that as well. It got clearer and more memorable each time. And each time Yuuki was more frightened and unsettled by it than the previous. So much so that by now nighttime and naturally coming with it sleep made the girl feel nothing but helpless apprehension. Every time she wished that there would be no more of those weird violent visions, that they would go away and leave her alone at long last. She didn't want to see them, she didn't want to know what they meant and she definitely didn't want to even think of what they probably said about her own true self.

"Come on, Ichiru…" sounded the familiar voice of her favorite adopted brother, distracting the girl from her anguished thoughts. Guilty brown eyes turned to the two forms on the bed in the dark room, worry evident in them as well as hesitation. For a few more seconds of uncertainty, the brunet stayed where she was and had been for some while now – in the doorway of her adopted brothers' shared room. But then, when she at long last managed to muster the courage she needed, she slowly entered the room and asked quietly, "How is he, Zero?"

The answer was obvious from Zero's face alone, if distress and silent panic written all over it were anything to go by. It was so unusual to see the older twin in such a rattled state. He was always calm and composed, and Yuuki was used to it. Seeing him the way he was now only served to show how severe the situation probably was – to such an extent Zero was affected by it.

"Not good," came the reply to Yuuki's question after some while of troubled silence from both sides. Zero touched Ichiru's damp forehead for probably the hundredth time that evening and his frown of concern deepened. "I think he's getting worse."

He felt so cold…_Too cold_. Especially seeing how heavily he was sweating.

Zero brushed a few damp silver locks from his twin's face. His hand landed softly on Ichiru's cheek and his fingers automatically stroked it, his worried gaze never leaving his other half's features. A soft yet noticeably sad smile tugged the corners of the older teen's lips slightly up when, even unconscious and most probably delirious, his counterpart still reacted to his familiar touch the way he usually did and nuzzled his hand, although the gesture was too weak for Zero's liking this time around.

Then, unexpectedly, Ichiru opened his mouth a bit, revealing two small, partly aroused fangs, and tried to bite the warm, soft flesh so close to his lips. But he failed in his sluggish attempt, apparently too weak to actually succeed in it.

Zero blinked, hopeful all of a sudden.

Not wasting any more time, the older hunter shifted from his current position on the bed to sit at the headboard with his twin in his arms and leaning against him limply. He guided Ichiru's head to his neck and let it rest on his shoulder, waiting for the younger teen to react the way he was supposed to.

"Zero, what are you…?" Yuuki started asking, but stopped herself when realization dawned on her. Now, for some reason, she only felt more uncomfortable being there.

Zero, however, paid the brunet girl no heed and continued trying to somehow coax Ichiru into biting him. Once again, to Zero's brief relief, his counterpart seemed to react, as he leaned closer to his neck and even gave it a small lick this time around. The older twin was already anticipating the familiar by now sensation of the bite when all of a sudden Ichiru slackened in his hold anew with a small, pitiful whimper escaping him.

Zero cursed under his breath, frustrated. But then another idea quickly came to his mind, and it was only then that he fixed his gaze on Yuuki for the first time that evening.

"Bring me a knife," the silver-haired teen said, his tone calm but still with traces of urgency in it.

"Eh?" Yuuki blinked, dumbfounded. "K-knife…? Why do you-"

Zero cut off the girl almost impatiently, "Just do it, Yuuki. Please."

Yuuki was hesitant to comply with that request and it was evident. But Zero's pleading eyes and urgent tone hardly left her any room for protests or more questions. So she fulfilled her adopted brother's request and quickly fetched one of the knives from their kitchen in spite of her uneasiness about doing it.

The petite brunet handed Zero the knife wordlessly. The next second, a shocked gasp sounded from the girl as she watched the older teen slice the palm of his hand with it, fast and unhesitant in spite of the pain he undoubtedly felt – at least so his expression suggested.

"Zero!" Yuuki cried in panic and worry, "What are y-? Stop!" But she was completely ignored. Zero only threw the knife carelessly on the floor, brought his bleeding palm to Ichiru's mouth and patiently waited for his other half to react. To Zero's relief, he didn't have to wait long. After mere seconds came a tentative lick that was almost immediately followed by another, more confident one, and before long Ichiru was sucking on his twin's palm greedily.

Even as he winced involuntarily from stinging pain, Zero let out a soft sigh of relief, his deep frown slowly smoothing out a bit.

Meanwhile Yuuki completely forgot about what was transpiring less than a meter away from her. Instead, the girl's undivided attention was fully concentrated on the floor – or rather, the knife that was lying there innocently after it had been so carelessly discarded. Yuuki had no idea what exactly it was about that silvery object that made her eyes unable to shift away from it, and she hardly cared. The idea of actually giving thought to her sudden weird fascination with that knife hadn't even crossed her currently blank mind.

And so the brunet girl stood there motionlessly and, as though entranced, stared at the bloodied utensil unblinkingly. But it was the dark, prettily colored substance on it that was so unexpectedly enticing, Yuuki absently realized. She felt as though it was calling out to her quietly, beckoning her, tempting her to get closer and touch it, smear it over her suddenly dehydrated skin, feel it on her lips and…_and_…

Before Yuuki knew it, she had the knife in her slightly trembling hands, her widened eyes still fixed on it unwaveringly. She stared at it for what felt like an eternity. Then that wonderful red started to ever so slowly get closer, closer and closer, and before long the girl could actually _smell _it, could almost _taste _it…And those sensations were _divine_. Now if she could only…

The tip of Yuuki's tongue was mere inches away from the blood on the knife when, all of a sudden, the girl was brought back to reality by a pained groan.

Startled, Yuuki dropped the knife, her brown eyes wide with confusion swirling in them. Somewhat disoriented, the brunet blinked slowly a few times, looking around as if she didn't quite know where she was. Then her gaze landed on the floor, and she stared. Then blinked again and stared some more, before her attention was stolen once more by another groan – this one weaker, but pained nonetheless.

The girl raised her head at the sound and her curious gaze immediately landed on two familiar forms on the bed, right where she had last seen them. Ichiru was still feeding from Zero, only now he was drinking from the wrist, not the palm.

Yuuki involuntarily winced, absently thinking of how painful it must be for Zero. His current expression certainly suggested so. And he seemed somewhat paler than usual too. And the trembling…

Wait, _trembling_…?

Yuuki blinked again, her still slightly dazed mind finally starting to clear up for real.

Zero…was trembling...wasn't he?

_Why _was he trembling…?

Was he in so much pain...? Or…

Or maybe…_something_…was wrong there…?

"Z-Zero…?" Yuuki uttered uncertainly in a barely audible voice, feeling anxious all of a sudden. And that anxiety only deepened when her older adopted brother not only failed to offer her any kind of response, but his form also seemed to start going somewhat limp.

Brown eyes widened in fear and panic.

Not losing a second anymore, Yuuki started towards her two brothers with every intention of tearing Ichiru away from Zero. However, she was stopped in her tracks when what seemed like wind flew past her and then, the next moment, a dark, familiar figure appeared before her eyes. She couldn't see the face, as the man's back was turned to her, but Yuuki would recognize that form anywhere.

"Kaname-sempai…?" The brunet girl breathed out.

But she was ignored again, as the older male was busy with getting Ichiru's still hungry fangs out of Zero's pale wrist.

In spite of the small fight that Ichiru instinctively put up in silent protest, Kaname succeeded in his task without much difficulty. Then he put his hand on the younger twin's head, and after mere seconds, the said teen's struggles ceased and he went limp, falling unconscious.

Zero's eyes widened and he called his counterpart's name weakly, his voice laced with confusion and panic. Then his distressed gaze turned to the pureblood, "Kaname, what-?"

"He is just sleeping." Kaname interrupted Zero before he could finish his question, his tone sharp and expression stern – unusually.

Zero blinked, taken aback. For reasons he couldn't even try to comprehend, the look Kaname was currently giving him made him feel almost regretful about his actions.

"Yuuki, could you please leave us alone?" Kaname spoke again without turning to the said girl, "I need to have a word with Zero-kun."

Yuuki remained frozen in place for a few seconds and just stared stupidly at the back of her savior's head. It was only when unusually cold dark gaze landed on her that the younger brunet came out of her brief daze. She couldn't help the involuntary shiver that ran down her spine at that unfamiliar, frighteningly steely look.

"O-of course, Kaname-sempai," she somehow managed a stuttered reply, "I'm s-sorry." And she hurriedly left.

Tense silence descended over the room.

Kaname refused to meet Zero's now hesitant gaze for a very long while. Which, in turn, only added to the said silver-haired teen's sudden uneasiness.

When Zero couldn't take the unnerving silence anymore, he called uncertainly, "Kaname…"

A surprised gasp escaped the young hunter the next second as, abruptly, the brunet vampire took a firm hold of his sluggishly bleeding wrist and slowly brought it to his lips – all the while still not lifting his burning eyes to the other teen.

Zero flinched slightly when Kaname gave a hard and unusually rough suck to his wound, but he didn't dare say another word, merely watching the eerily silent pureblood.

It went on that way for a few tense minutes. Then, at long last, Kaname was finished with his task. He gave Zero's now fully healed wrist one last long, languid lick and lifted his head. It was only then that the brunet let his gaze land on the awaiting hunter before him, and his fingers involuntarily tightened around the pale limb that was still in his grip.

"…Do you have even the vaguest idea how foolish what you just did was, Zero-kun?" Kaname asked softly, frowning in disapproval.

Zero could only blink stupidly, momentarily dumbfounded. He came to himself soon enough though, and was about to reply when Kaname continued, "He would have drained you without a second thought had I not come." Zero opened his mouth to protest – the pureblood could tell, as disagreement was written all over the hunter's face. But Kaname didn't give him the chance to do so and went on, "And then he could have easily attacked Yuuki and killed her as well."

Zero still wanted to protest against Kaname's words, but his expression was different now – it had morphed into one of guilt that came with sudden realization. And while Kaname didn't exactly want to make the silver-haired teen feel that way, he couldn't deny that he did feel a certain amount of satisfaction from seeing it.

Because he was angry with Zero. Silently, secretly, invisibly, but still _was_. And _had been _every once and again for quite some time – somewhere deep, _deep _down, on levels even he himself wasn't really aware of. And on that same level, Kaname unconsciously wanted to punish his painfully oblivious beloved for his endless foolish recklessness…

"And if _that_ wasn't enough…" the pureblood continued to press on still. "He would have gone hunting and fed on the first unfortunate soul that just so happened to be nearby. And it would have gone on and on, until your brother came to his senses. _Or _until he was forcibly stopped. By _any _means necessary." Zero's free arm involuntarily tightened around Ichiru's limp form protectively, uneasiness evident in his eyes. He understood what Kaname was talking about, and he didn't like the idea in the slightest. He never wanted to even think about it.

"Ichiru wouldn't have…" Zero started to protest nonetheless in spite of the fact that he _knew _that Kaname was probably right in his words. But he stopped and fell silent again, his gaze lowering to his counterpart and staying there for a few long, contemplative moments.

"I'm sorry," the silver-haired hunter uttered at long last. He lifted his head to look at the brunet vampire before him anew. "I'm sorry, Kaname, I…"

Kaname breathed an inward sigh of relief.

"I didn't mean for Yuuki to…" Zero faltered, failing to finish, and only repeated once more, "I'm sorry."

And every bit of relief that Kaname had previously felt disappeared, now replaced with only more frustration and involuntary anger. He simply couldn't believe that Zero _still _didn't get it.

The said teen blinked. He didn't fail to pick up on the subtle change in Kaname's expression and posture that became unusually tense all of a sudden. His head tilting ever so slightly to the side, Zero called softly, "Kaname…?"

The brunet unconsciously tightened his hold on the slender wrist further.

"-not that…" Kaname uttered in a barely audible tone after a short while of another eerie, tense silence from his side.

Zero blinked again, having not quite caught the pureblood's words. He was about to ask the other to repeat what he had said when Kaname did so on his own.

"It's not that at all," the vampire said, nearly scowling now. "What I meant was- it's…" Kaname averted his gaze and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "It's not about Yuuki at all…!"

Zero's eyes widened slightly at the tone of the other's voice. It was probably the first time he saw the usually perfectly composed Kaname like that. And he didn't like it. Not in the slightest. For some reason that he didn't really care to even ponder on, everything in him hated seeing the pureblood before him like that, in such a state. And the fact that _he _was apparently the one to blame for it certainly didn't help ease his guilty conscience.

"Kaname, I-" Zero started almost urgently, but was interrupted.

"It's _you_, Zero-kun…" Now somewhat imploring, burgundy eyes locked with lavender ones anew. Kaname continued, "_You_ and your _actions_…your _recklessness _whenever it comes to Ichiru-kun. _Why _can't you see how dangerous such situations as _this_ are?"

It wasn't that he didn't see or understand. He did, on a certain level, he did. But it didn't matter. Because it was…

"I do understand, Kaname." Zero started with an apologetic look on his face. "But I can't help it. I couldn't, even if I wanted to. It's _Ichiru_…" And that pretty much said it all, at least in Zero's book. "He is my _brother_, Kaname, my _twin_…" A very, very special existence. Immensely so. "If _you _were me, wouldn't you do the same? Wouldn't you be willing to do it for your most precious person…?"

The pureblood chose to ignore the sharp pang he felt from hearing the other's words and concentrated on the question instead.

Of course he would. Without giving it a second thought. If he was in the same situation, he would do the same for Yuuki and…he would gladly do even _more _than that for Zero. If only the boy asked…

But of course, Zero had no idea how the brunet vampire felt. He had no idea what a special existence he was for him…

Kaname didn't give any verbal response, as it wasn't necessary either way. They both already knew what his reply would be, after all.

"But…there are still blood tablets," the pureblood said instead, unwilling to give up. "They quench the thirstjust fine. If only Ichiru-kun started taking them, there would be no need for you to-"

"They don't work," Zero interrupted the older male. Lavender eyes turned to the unconscious form that was still in their owner's arms, softening noticeably at the sight before them. Zero brushed a few silver strands from his twin's face, caressing the younger teen's pale cheek softly in the process.

Kaname suppressed the strongest urge to growl and turn away from the sight. No matter how many times he happened to witness such wordless displays of gentle affection, he couldn't get used to the painful tightening of his chest that they never failed to evoke.

"Ichiru tried them a couple of times a while ago," Zero started to explain. "He wanted to make it easier for me, so he took those pills." _And without telling him t__oo…_

Zero's gaze stayed on his counterpart for another few seconds, thoughtful, before turning back to Kaname. "But they didn't help. He fell sick after taking them, and it seemed like they only worsened his bloodlust."

Kaname's garnet eyes widened in shock. He had never heard of such reaction to the blood tablets. But if Ichiru was indeed somewhat allergic to them for some reason, then…

The pureblood's gaze lowered to the said teen's unconscious form and stayed there for some while.

Silence stretched, before Kaname decided to break it, his garnet eyes still on the younger twin, thoughtful. "In that case…" he started absent-mindedly, pausing for a few contemplative seconds. Then his attention returned to the older twin, his dark gaze now clear and serious, and continued, "Allow _me_ to give my blood to Ichiru-kun from now on."

Lavender eyes widened in surprise. Zero blinked, stunned to the very core of his being. He honestly thought that he had heard wrong. "Huh?" was all Zero could manage in reply.

A soft, indulgently amused smile appeared on the brunet vampire's lips at the other's reaction. Suppressing a soft chuckle, he repeated his request-like offer, in response to which Zero only continued to stare wordlessly at him while blinking slowly in apparent astonishment some more. And for some weird, unexplainable to him reason, Kaname couldn't help feeling all the more amused as he looked on at the boy's face.

It was only after another few long moments that Zero came out of his brief stupor and spoke again at last, "No, Kaname, it's…What are you even talking about? You don't have to-"

"I know," the pureblood interrupted the young hunter before he could finish his sentence, giving a small nod. "But I _want to_." _'For you...' _was left unsaid. "And I also want _you _to _stop _feeding Ichiru-kun." _'For me…' _as well, was left unsaid. "Please, Zero-kun," Kaname asked, looking at the silver-haired teen imploringly.

Silence came over the two anew as Zero regarded the brunet vampire before him uncertainly.

It stretched for a rather long while, during which neither of the two conscious individuals said a word, merely looking each other in the eye unwaveringly.

Zero was confused and more than just uncertain and reluctant to agree. There was no way he could actually allow Kaname to…

Having made up his mind, the silver-haired teen was about to open his mouth and decline the pureblood's unexpected offer when, all of a sudden, his wrist that was still resting in Kaname's hold received a soft squeeze, and those deep burgundy orbs that were staring at him so intently turned even more imploring – if that was possible.

Zero didn't even notice how his head lowered slightly to give a small nod of consent.

What he did notice, however, was the somewhat relieved expression that came to Kaname's face, along with a content smile that tugged the corners of the said male's lips upwards. And he would be lying if he said that he didn't enjoy seeing those.

**-o- **

Ichiru woke up to his brother's warm embrace and familiar, soothing scent. He slowly opened his hazy eyes, still groggy from the deep slumber he had been in only seconds before, and just like always, the first thing that greeted him was his sleeping twin's face, and immediately, a soft smile came to his face.

He remained still at first, choosing to simply gaze at his other half quietly. After a few moments of staying that way, one of his hands went up to Zero's cheek and caressed it lightly before cupping it, his movements gentle and careful so as not to wake up his twin. Then he leaned in closer until their foreheads were touching, and his smile fell a bit, a thoughtful look coming to his face in its stead.

Ichiru continued watching his other half like that for one long minute, his eyes taking in every small detail of Zero's face that was the exact reflection of his own yet didn't seem that way to him in the slightest. Unconsciously, his gaze stopped on his twin's lips after its thorough exploration. Ichiru's lavender orbs darkened ever so slightly at that moment, and before he knew it, his thumb was tracing the soft, pink flesh his attention was currently devoted to.

At some point, Ichiru leaned even closer to his blissfully oblivious counterpart. His lips turned dry all of a sudden and his tongue automatically darted out to moisten them. Ichiru stayed where he was for another few tense, breathless seconds, his racing heartbeat incredibly loud in his ears in the absolute silence of the night. He was so close he could feel Zero's body heat on his own skin now, their lips less than a mere inch apart. Ichiru almost made to move forward the next moment, and God knew, he wanted, _really _wanted to. But he came to himself at that instant and managed to stop before it was too late.

The teen blinked slowly, his gaze clearing, and moved away abruptly. His hand left Zero's cheek, he carefully got out of his twin's embrace and slowly lifted himself to sit up, watching his other half contemplatively yet again. Then, after some while, Ichiru bent forward and, gently putting his palm on his counterpart's identically silver hair, gave Zero a slow, tender kiss on the side of his forehead. After which he got up and left the room quietly.

He didn't really have any particular destination in mind, hardly even paying attention to where he was going. It was somewhat on autopilot that his legs brought him towards the kitchen, and only then did Ichiru realize how ravenously hungry he felt – unexpectedly.

_'__Guess I was out of it for quite some time__, huh…' _the teen thought to himself, unconsciously rubbing his empty stomach. He really hoped that those two voracious idiots that were his adopted father and sister hadn't eaten _everything _Zero had prepared for dinner like they _always _did. He honestly wasn't in the mood to cook – or do anything else, for that matter – right now, and his stomach was hardly in any mood to wait.

Ichiru scowled slightly in irritation at the very probable prospect. He was already in the kitchen and about to find out whether he was right in his presumptions or not when, upon switching on the light, the silver-haired teen discovered that he wasn't the only occupant of the room.

"Yuuki…?" Ichiru called, blinking at the familiar small back of the brunet girl in surprise.

A loud sound of something falling and colliding with a hard surface came the moment Ichiru finished saying the name. The older teen blinked, taken aback by the unusual reaction. _What in the world…_

"Oh, Z-Zero! What is it? Why are you up?"

Ichiru raised an eyebrow at that. Yuuki never mistook him for his twin and vice versa. At least not anymore. She knew too well how different the two of them were, having lived under the same roof with them for such a long time. Not to mention the obvious difference in their appearance.

"I could ask you the same thing," Ichiru replied without answering the brunet girl's questions. "And I'm not Zero. Obviously. Have you gone blind or something?"

Yuuki's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh…Of course…You're awake, Ichiru…" A weak but genuine smile came to the girl's face. "Finally you got better, you made us all really worried, you know. Especially Zero…" Her smile turned sad and she lowered her eyes for some reason that Ichiru wasn't particularly curious to know. So he dismissed the gesture and merely asked instead, "How long was I out for?"

Yuuki's previously contemplative gaze cleared as it returned to the older teen anew, "Two days…"

Lavender eyes widened. _'That long?' _Ichiru thought, surprised by the answer. To think that some random Level E's poison could affect his system to such an extent…

"I see…" Ichiru said absent-mindedly in response.

"How are you feeling?" Yuuki asked next.

"Fine. A bit hungry though. I hope you and that old idiot left me at least _some_ food." Ichiru replied with a skeptically arched eyebrow, in response to which Yuuki gave a small laugh that seemed somewhat forced to Ichiru. Still, he chose not to question the brunet girl.

"Don't worry, there's plenty of food," Yuuki reassured, moving forward and towards the door now. "I'm glad you're okay, Ichiru," she said, stopping briefly to give the older teen another smile. Then she bid him good night and left.

Now alone, Ichiru almost went to the refrigerator to see for himself whether or not his adopted sister had told him the truth about there actually being some food when he remembered something and moved towards the sink instead. He looked into it, and his lilac eyes widened slightly, curiosity in them now replaced by bewilderment at what they had found.

With a slow blink, the silver-haired teen reached into the sink to retrieve a sharp object that was lying there. It was a knife. Their kitchen knife that they used every day – something that could be found in every house, nothing special at all. However, there was one thing about it that captured Ichiru's undivided attention, and that was the dark-red color which the knife was painted in. He could tell it was blood, just as well as he could tell _whose _blood it was exactly – the scent was unmistakable, in spite of the fact that the liquid had long dried on the steely surface.

A frown marred the young hunter's features then, as a question of how on earth that very familiar blood got on that knife came to his mind. Zero wasn't injured – Ichiru hadn't smelled any blood on him when he had woken up. So _how _the _hell_-

Amethyst eyes widened once more, silver brows going slightly up in surprise when the hunter turned over the cutting tool in his hands and found something else which he couldn't quite comprehend.

Had someone…_licked _the knife…?


	16. Deep Connection

_**A/N: **__And hello again, dearests. I'm back with this new chapter a bit – a lot, actually – later than I initially supposed and meant to be, but what can I say? RL refuses to be ignored and only gets harder and more tiring. I now have a second job, plus my studies at the Uni, a huge project to be part of and a graduation research paper to write. Oh, and I'm sick _yet again_. OTZ I do hate it all, you know. But this year is the last push for me – and then I will _finally _be free *sighs dreamily* _

_But anyway! Really and truly sorry for the wait and for being the terrible author that I am in general. I do hope, however, that you won't be too disappointed with this chapter._

_Thank you for all the alerts, favs and, of course, for all your wonderfully inspiring reviews! *_* They always provide me with much-needed support and encouragement *nods happily*_

_As usual, disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine._

_Please enjoy! :D_

**Chapter 16: Deep Connection**

_"I would try and tone down that killing intent of yours a little if I were you. Otherwise _they _will sense you too…" sounded a childish voice in an unusually adult tone that one would never expect to get from someone so small and young. _

_Hiou Shizuka didn't expect to hear it too, and thus it took her by surprise. _

_Pink eyes widened slightly with bewilderment evident in them. Then the woman blinked slowly, trying to somehow take in the unexpected situation and, with initial shock now slightly dissipated, she spoke._

_"Is that so?" She pulled on a small smile, her usual mask of impassiveness back in place again. "And what, pray tell, are you talking about exactly, dear child?" _

_The said child didn't change in expression and hardly even blinked. He merely continued to look at her with that knowing look in his violet eyes, standing still where he was, unfazed. _

_She had to admit, that got her intrigued. It wasn't every day that she came across someone like that – who was not only a mere child, but also just a human at that – his despicable hunter blood aside. She could tell that he knew who she was, and yet here he was, calm and unfaltering for reasons she couldn't comprehend. Even his heart beat at a normal pace, which already was more than just odd. _

_And interesting too…_

_"…Zero felt you the first night you came, you know." Even though he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was his senses had detected._

_Shizuka's smile fell and was replaced by brief surprise anew, while the boy continued, "You woke him up, actually. When he first told me, I didn't understand what he was talking about; my hunter senses stand nowhere near his, after all. But then I felt it too." For no more than a couple of seconds, but he still sensed it for sure. He only wondered how their parents, the great vampire hunters that they were, still managed to miss it._

_Then again, it wasn't like they spent an awful lot of time at home._

_Which Ichiru couldn't really complain about. After all, he liked being alone with his twin the most._

_"Well, that is…impressive, I suppose." It surely was, because she never stopped concealing her presence. Although now it didn't seem to her that she did quite perfect a job on it as she had thought. "But why didn't you or your brother tell your parents about me then?" _

_Silence settled between the two as the boy took his sweet time to answer, his now slightly lowered gaze contemplative. It was only when he replied that his big lavender eyes returned to the woman before him._

_"Will you kill them?" Ichiru asked out of the blue, and Shizuka's eyes widened once more. To say that the question and its very wording left her dumbfounded would be a huge understatement. _

_Nevertheless, she came to herself soon enough and replied with a question of her own, "And what if I said yes?"_

_"Then I wouldn't have the reason to tell them." _

_This time around, she couldn't really say that she was greatly surprised by the child's answer. She had thought that maybe she had been wrong when she had first caught on it while quietly observing the hunter family from afar, but now she could tell she had been right. Which…_

_A small smirk made its way on the perfect pink lips._

_Which only made her revenge that much sweeter… However…_

_"And what about your twin?" He was different. He was a different case altogether. _

_"He doesn't know anything." He didn't need to..._

_"For now. But I wonder, what will happen when he finds out? Unlike you, he does care deeply for your parents. You are aware of that, are you not, child?"_

_"I am," Ichiru answered. _

_Of course he was. He knew that all too well. But…_

_"But he loves _me _more than them. He will choose _me _over them." Zero would always choose him…"Over everyone and everything else." _

_"Oh?" Shizuka raised a perfect eyebrow, a small smirk playing on her lips. "What confidence." She had to wonder where it came from, and at such an age too. "But love and forgiveness are two different things. Do you honestly believe that your brother will truly forgive you?"_

_Violet eyes lowered, now clouded in contemplation. The two individuals remained silent for some while as Ichiru took a few moments to answer._

_"I do," the boy uttered a bit absently, still lost in thought. Then he looked up at the woman before him anew with confidence back in his gaze and voice, "Zero _will _forgive me."_

_Shizuka let out a soft chuckle. "That we shall see."_

_Ichiru's gaze lowered once more, his small chubby hands curled into fists at his sides, "…He will." _

'He will. For sure…'_ The boy repeated in his mind over and over like some kind of mantra. He _really _wanted to fully believe in those words. _

_The pureblood didn't offer any response this time around. Instead, she decided to ask a question that had been on her mind since the first moments of their conversation._

_"I might very well kill you and your brother as well though. Has that thought not crossed your mind, child?" _

_Ichiru looked up again, blinking. "It has," he answered calmly. Of course such an idea _had _visited him, and more than once. The mere fact that he was still a child didn't mean that he was stupid or naïve enough not to consider that more than probable possibility. It was a vampire he was dealing with – and a pureblood one at that. "But you're not interested in killing us."_

_Ichiru could tell. If there was something he was good at, it was reading people – no matter who and what they were. _

_"You only want to take _their _lives. And about us…well, you don't really care," the boy finished, shrugging._

_"That may be true, but who said that I wouldn't want to make them suffer first?" Shizuka replied with another question, a small smirk back on her lips. "After all, losing you two would make your parents most devastated…So _why _in the world would I miss such an opportunity?"_

_Ichiru stayed silent for some while, merely looking at the vampire woman before him impassively. And then he asked a question that managed to surprise Shizuka yet again, "If you want to do that…then why haven't you killed us already? You've been here for a while…You could have done it long ago." And she had had plenty of opportunities to do that too. "So why are we still alive?"_

_Shizuka's smile had long faded and her gaze turned thoughtful with no traces of previous playfulness left in it. She was far from amused by the fact that a mere child had actually managed to see through her to such an extent. It was somewhat…unnerving…to say the least. _

_But still…_

_The pureblood chuckled, a faint smile tugging at her perfect lips anew. "How interesting…" she said, amusement twinkling in her pink eyes. "I am looking forward to seeing what will become of you and your beloved twin in years to come…."_

_And the next moment, she vanished from sight and Ichiru was left alone._

_The boy let out a deep breath that he didn't know he was holding and stayed where he was, motionless, for some more time. Then, deciding that it was time to go back if only not to make his other half more worried than he most probably already was, Ichiru turned on his heels and headed home. _

**-o-**

"What's this?" Ichiru asked, raising his eyes from a small glass vessel in his hand to Zero, a faint frown creasing his forehead.

"It's…um…" Zero started falteringly, briefly dropping his gaze to the item in question as well and receiving an arch of curious eyebrow from his twin. It was only after some while of hesitant silence that he finished, "It's Kaname's blood."

Ichiru's violet eyes widened in shock. He almost dropped the fragile object he was holding.

Not that he would have been too upset if he had.

The younger hunter's face twisted into a grimace as he all but hissed out, "_What_?" But more importantly… "Why on earthwould you give _this_," disgust was more than clear in his tone as he emphasized the word, averting his gaze to the vessel for a fraction of a second before turning it back to his counterpart, "to _me_? And how the hell did you even get it, nii-san?"

"Kaname gave it to me."

Of course. It was a stupid question – Ichiru had realized it the moment he had asked it.

"And he wants you to drink it," Zero added, earning an arched eyebrow from his brother.

"So I've gathered. But _why _would he want that?" And more importantly, _why _would Ichiru even think of dinking _that_? The mere thought of doing such a thing made him cringe. That stupid pureblood must have completely lost his mind if he actually thought that he would take his vile blood.

"Because…Well, he…" Zero started to reply hesitantly, not really sure how to put it. "It's because of what happened last time…" he trailed off, knowing that his twin would guess about the rest.

Ichiru's eyes widened, he had to suppress an involuntary flinch at the mention of _'last time'_. He had already been informed of what had happened by Yuuki – if her incoherent blabbering could even be called anything close to informative. Still, it had given him a pretty vivid picture of what he had unconsciously done. And he couldn't deny that it had affected him. To say that he now was a little apprehensive of drinking from his counterpart again would be one massive understatement.

"Oh…" was all Ichiru could offer in response as he lowered his gaze. For some reason, it felt unbearably hard to meet his older brother's eyes all of a sudden. Even if Ichiru knew full well that he wouldn't find any of the hurtful to him emotions that he very much deserved to have directed at him there. It was Zero – _his _Zero, after all…

And yet that knowledge hardly made it any better.

"I see…" the younger teen said, his lilac eyes still avoiding that of his other half and now focused on the blood-filled vessel, thoughtful.

An uncharacteristically awkward silence settled over the room then. It lingered for some while as Ichiru continued to stubbornly avoid his twin's gaze that was fixed on him, unwavering.

A soft sigh sounded from Zero. He moved forward and towards his younger brother, his hand automatically going up to settle on Ichiru's still lowered head. A small, indulgent smile made its way on his lips and, affectionately stroking his counterpart's silver hair, he spoke quietly, "No one blames you for anything, Ichiru. It's okay. It was my fault anyway. You have no idea how angry Kaname was with me because of it." Zero's expression changed to one of guilt for a few seconds as he recalled the events he was talking about. But then his full attention returned to Ichiru anew, and he continued, "So don't go blaming yourself for anything, okay? You didn't do anything wrong. I'm okay, and so is Yuuki. And if you don't want to drink Kaname's blood so much, you don't have to do it. I'll just…I'll settle it with Kaname…somehow…" Even though Zero really, _really _hated to break the promise he had given the pureblood. "You got me?"

It was only then, after another couple of hesitant seconds, that Ichiru managed to make himself lift his head and look his beloved twin in the eye. He was met with a soft, affectionate smile – so painfully familiar and pleasantly comforting – and, like always, it chased away his doubts and fears and guilty misery without fail, albeit still only partly. But it _was _true that he felt somewhat better now.

Ichiru breathed a quiet sigh of relief, silently grateful to his counterpart, his tense shoulders relaxing. Zero did always know how to make it all better.

The younger teen put his hand over that of his twin to move it so it would be cupping his cheek. Closing his eyes, he nuzzled the warm palm on his skin, another soft sigh – this one of pure content – escaping him.

Companionable silence that had descended over the room lingered for another few long, pleasantly relaxed moments before Ichiru decided to break it with a quiet _'Thank you'_, after which his now thoughtful eyes opened, and he continued, "It's okay though. I will drink it." If only for now, and just to keep his brother safe and healthy. All those feedings _had _been affecting him, after all. No matter what Zero himself said about it. "It's not like it'll do me any harm, right?" Ichiru finished with a small smile.

Zero blinked in surprise. He quickly came to himself though and, with a soft smile of his own now back on his face, gave Ichiru a slow nod in response.

**-o- **

"Surely you can't be serious about it," Ichijou said with an uncharacteristically uneasy smile on his face. The turn that their conversation had suddenly taken was making him more than just a bit uncomfortable. "Why-…_Why _would you even _agree _to such a thing, Kaname?"

"I wasn't exactly the one who had to agree to anything. After all, _I _was the one who suggested it in the first place." Kaname replied with a tired sigh, having pretty much predicted the reaction he would most likely get from his friend. Never stopping doing the paperwork he was currently busy with, the pureblood continued, "And you _know _why better than anyone else, Takuma."

The noble's expression softened at that. He nodded slowly, "I do…" Of course he did. How could anyone _not _know or at least guess? It was a wonder how by now only a few people managed to notice what was – and had been for quite a while – happening to their beloved pureblood leader. Especially considering how painfully obvious he could be about it at times. "But…Kaname, you don't have to go that far. Why can't you just…I don't know, confess…?" Kaname's hand stopped writing the moment the last word left the blond noble's lips. He froze. But Ichijou chose not to pay his friend's reaction much heed and continued, "Or something like that. It's not like Zero-kun hates you or anything, you know."

He did know. But, alas, it didn't really make the fear of rejection any easier to overcome. There was just too much at risk. And Kaname was far from ready to lose it all in a mere moment because of no more than just a few unnecessary words – no matter how true and important they were.

"It's far more complicated than you think."

"Of course it is. You make it so yourself," the noble replied, now frowning almost disapprovingly. "You'll never be able to make any progress in that relationship if you go on like this, Kaname…"

"Ichijou…" the brunet vampire said in a tone that clearly suggested that he didn't wish to discuss the matter any further.

Only Takuma wasn't ready to drop the subject just yet. "You know I'm right. Yet you choose not to do anything and just let it stay the way it is only because it's easier to do so."

Kaname's fingers curled into tight fists, the pen in his hand breaking in the process and staining his perfect skin with ink. But the pureblood himself hardly noticed, as his attention was now fully devoted to the blond vampire before him.

"It has _never_ been easy," Kaname hissed through gritted teeth, his garnet eyes narrowed with angry red dancing in their depths dangerously. "Do not speak as though you know how I feel, _Ichijou_," his stern tone turned threatening as he uttered the name, and it sent icy chills down Takuma's spine and made the said vampire lower his gaze in instinctual fear and submission. It was a final warning, and the noble knew that. It wasn't his childhood friend he was talking to right now but his pureblood leader and vampire prince who was very clearly showing his displeasure with him.

Which was understandable. Takuma _had _stepped out of line, after all. And knowingly too. But…

His trembling hands curled into fists. Takuma raised his eyes and, in a moment of complete foolishness that could be rivaled only by that of Aidou, he opened his mouth to offer another argument, but one paralyzingly dark glance that was accompanied by a barely audible yet unmistakably threatening growl from Kaname quickly shut him up.

The noble lowered his head again, in complete surrender this time, and uttered quietly, "I apologize, Kaname-sama."

A tense silence followed.

It was only after one unbearably long for Ichijou minute that his pureblood leader answered, his voice still as cold and leaving no room for protests.

"I have a business to attend to at the Council. Take care of everything here while I'm absent."

The blond vampire closed his eyes and gave a stiff bow, replying, "Of course, Kaname-sama."

Kaname was already gone when Takuma finished speaking.

**-o- **

It was crazy. And dangerous. Very, _very _dangerous in every sense of the word. In fact, Takuma was pretty sure that he would lose his unexpectedly foolish blond head for what he was about to do, and yet he _still _was going to do it. Which made him insane. Completely and _utterly _insane.

So now he was one completely and utterly insane vampire deadman who was willingly approaching his terrifying and excruciating end like a total idiot with no sense of self-preservation whatsoever.

…Maybe Aidou and his foolishness _were _contagious after all?

"Ichijou-sempai?" Yuuki's surprised voice pulled the blond vampire out of his less than optimistic musings as the girl opened the door to the Cross residence after Takuma had given it a few distracted knocks.

"Hello, Yuuki-chan. How are you?" Ichijou greeted the little brunet in his usual manner, his bright smile plastered firmly on his handsome face. Then, upon noticing the girl's current attire, he added, "Going somewhere?"

"Um, yes. To the town. With Ichiru. And I'm fine, thank you."

"Oh?" Takuma's emerald eyes turned mischievous, his smile morphed into a small smirk. He leaned closer to Yuuki and asked in a hushed tone, winking, "Is it a date?"

"Wha-! Wh-what are y-you…Wh-why w-would you even-" the brunet started to reply stutteringly, her face now bright red, but she was interrupted before she could finish.

"Like _I _would _ever _agree to go on a _date _with _that _idiot," Ichiru said, scowling, as he stepped into the hallway with Zero walking quietly behind him.

"What!?" Yuuki whipped around to face the younger twin. She stomped towards him and, huffing angrily, continued, "Like _I _would ever go on a date with an insufferable, mean bully like _you_! Like _anyone _in their right mind _would_!"

Ichiru snorted, smirking. "Like anyone would even ask _you _out. But hey, at least you have finally accepted the fact that you're an idiot. It's good to know that you're not as hopeless as I thought." The younger twin shot back, his tone as insufferably condescending and smirk as mocking as ever – at least to Yuuki's ears and eyes.

With a small cry of frustration, the brunet girl stomped her little foot angrily and then turned to the older silver-haired teen. "Zero! Did you hear that?!" She exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at a still smirking Ichiru. "He is being mean to me again! Do something!"

Takuma chuckled softly to himself while Zero gave a small laugh, smiling indulgently, and answered, "Come on, Yuuki, you know Ichiru. He isn't serious." Zero ignored the snort that his other half openly gave at the last part. "He is just fooling around."

"I don't care! He is _still _being a big, fat meanie!" Yuuki replied, pouting childishly. "Scold him!"

Takuma and Zero blinked simultaneously while Ichiru arched a mocking eyebrow.

It was the younger twin who spoke next, "First of all, out of all of us, _you _are the one who needs to stop stuffing your face with whatever food you see. Otherwise you'll get even fatter than you already are and _we _will starve to death here in the near future."

"What!?" Yuuki exclaimed indignantly.

But Ichiru ignored her and continued, "And secondly, leave nii-san out of it and try to beat me on your own for once in your life." The teen paused to give a dramatic sigh and then continued in an even more condescending manner while patting Yuuki's head mockingly, "Hard as it might be with _your _wits."

Zero let out a tired sigh, shaking his head, while Takuma could only offer a nervous smile, mentally sweatdropping. Both wisely chose to stay silent.

"That's it. I'm not going anywhere with you, you jerk!" Yuuki declared, slapping Ichiru's hand away and sticking her tongue out at the said teen. She was about to go back down the hallway and into the living room that she had come from in the first place when the mean one of her two adopted brothers stopped her by putting his large hand on her head anew.

"Oh no, you're going," Ichiru replied in an unexpectedly stern tone. "Nii-san and I went last week and now it's your turn. Stop being such a lazy ass and work a little. I'm not going to carry all the grocery bags on my own, and you're already spoiled enough as it is."

"_Me_? _Spoiled_?" Yuuki's brown eyes bulged to an immeasurable extent. She couldn't believe her ears. "Like _you're _one to talk! Zero always spoils you rotten!"

Ichiru huffed in response to that almost proudly before replying, "Naturally. I _am _his cute little brother, after all."

Yuuki's eyes went even wider – if that was possible. "_Cute_? What part of _you _is cute?!" The brunet girl shot back with a huff of her own, arms now crossed over her chest. Even she was so much cuter than _Ichiru _of all people.

"To Zero? _Everything_," the younger twin replied confidently. Then he turned his attention to his other half and asked, "Right, nii-san?"

Zero could only blink stupidly before automatically giving a nod.

Ichiru turned back to Yuuki with a satisfied smirk on his face, "See?"

With yet another cry of frustration, the girl stomped her foot exasperatedly and then turned around on her heels and left the house, pouting and huffing angrily on her way out.

"Ichiru…" Again, Zero sighed tiredly and shook his head.

"What, nii-san?" Ichiru replied with a sweet smile, blinking innocently, as though he _really _had no idea what could be wrong with what he had just done.

Zero looked at that mock innocent expression for a few long moments, then let out yet another sigh and shook his head once more before answering, "Nothing. Go and don't forget to treat Yuuki to a huge bowl of her favorite ice-cream. Got it?"

Reluctance was evident in the younger twin's expression, but he still nodded and gave a soft _'Yeah' _in response before leaving.

Following the two with his gaze, Ichijou let an amused chuckle escape him once more as he closed the door. It was only then that he decided to speak, "Maybe it would be wiser if you went with those two, Zero-kun? I do get the feeling that Ichiru-kun won't stop his teasing."

Zero chuckled in response, silently gesturing for Takuma to follow him further into the house, and the noble was all too happy to comply. He could tell that the young hunter had cooked something delicious – if the faint yet undeniably divine scent that was lingering in the air was anything to go by. And Takuma found out that he was correct in his assumption the moment he arrived at the kitchen.

"You're right, Ichiru is far from done. He only just got into it," Zero replied as he gestured for the blond to have a seat. Then he turned on the stove, placed a kettle on it and took out two cups and saucers and put them on the counter. "It's okay though, it's just their usual daily routine. Yuuki is used to it by now."

Takuma blinked, genuinely surprised by the statement. "It didn't seem that way to me though…"

"Don't worry, Ichiru knows when to stop, so Yuuki will be okay. _And _she will get a reward for her suffering."

"I see," the blond vampire replied, chuckling in open amusement. Then his attention was stolen by that wonderful smell anew, and after a short silence, he asked, "By the way, Zero-kun…What have you cooked this time?"

The hunter blinked, slightly surprised by the sudden question. But that feeling quickly passed and he answered, "It's Lime Coconut Cheesecake…But how did you know I cooked anything?"

"Why, the scent of course. I felt it when I was still in the hallway, and let me tell you, it's absolutely wonderful!" Takuma explained in an excited tone, his bright smile almost blinding now.

Zero's eyebrows rose and he automatically sniffed the air. He didn't sense anything out of the ordinary though, and a small frown came to his features. It took the hunter a few short moments to realize why he had come up empty.

_'Ah, that's right…' _He had sort of forgotten that Ichijou was a vampire.

Which wasn't a first, really. With the guy's personality and never-vanishing smiles it was fairly hard not to forget about that particular detail. Honestly, Ichijou totally ruined all the classical vampire images.

"It got me wondering though, is it my imagination, or you really do cook different types of cakes every couple of days or so?" Not that Takuma visited the Cross residence very often, but whenever he had been here, he had always gotten to have a taste of some cake – and each of them had been different too.

Zero hummed absently in thought, then gave a nod and replied, "Pretty much. Yuuki does have _a lot _of cakes she wants to try." To say the least. The girl's list of those cakes and sweets was simply enormous. And how she even knew of their existence, considering she was utterly hopeless when it came even to simplest cooking, was a mystery to Zero. "Although this one was requested by Ichiru." Who, unlike Yuuki, albeit was far from hopeless, was still not big on sweets and such, as he preferred savory. "Speaking of which, it should be ready right about now." As well as the water for their tea…

Zero took a big cheesecake out of the refrigerator, then turned off the stove and started making two cups of tea, continuing, "I need someone's opinion on it, so you came here just at the right time, Ichijou-sempai."

"Oh, that's great then. Glad I can be of use to you, Zero-kun," the noble replied happily. In all honesty, he believed his timing couldn't be better.

A companionable silence filled the room then as Zero went about his tasks and Takuma quietly watched him do so, still grinning from ear to ear like a kid that was about to get his favorite treat.

"Oh, that's right…" the silver-haired teen spoke a short while later after placing two cups with tea and plates with cheesecake on the table. "Not that I mind or anything, but…Why are you here, Ichijou-sempai? Did you need Cross?"

_'Ah…' _Takuma froze briefly in realization. _'Of course…' _It was only now that he actually remembered the very purpose of his visit.

The noble put his cup that never made it to his lips back on the table and replied, "No, um…actually, I came to see _you_, Zero-kun. I…" Takuma paused, swallowing nervously. He lifted his eyes to look at the silver-haired teen before him and continued, "I want to talk to you about something."

Silver brows rose a bit in mild surprise. "About what?"

"Well, it's about…uh," Ichijou started, but faltered, hesitant and very unsure how to say it all of a sudden. Only after a few very long – and tense, at least to him – moments of silence did Takuma manage to finish, his emerald eyes now bright with determination shining in them. He _would _do it. "It's about Kaname."

**-o- **

It was a few hours later that Ichiru and Yuuki got back from their shopping trip.

Ichijou had long left by that time, so it was only Zero whom the two teens found washing dishes upon arriving at the kitchen with their grocery bags. Almost immediately, Yuuki's attention was completely captured by the delicious-looking cheesecake that was – at least in the girl's head – just begging to be eaten, and so she dropped whatever was in her hands and rushed towards it with a squeal of delight, completely ignoring a sharp and very clearly annoyed _'Hey! Get back here and do your share this instant, you idiot!' _sent her way by Ichiru, who could only scowl at being so blatantly disregarded.

But it didn't take the younger hunter long to forget about his irritation, as the next moment his undivided attention shifted to his counterpart, who still hadn't spoken a word or even looked at him or Yuuki since they got back.

Ichiru's violet eyes narrowed after a short while of silent observation. He thought there was some kind of change in the air around his twin. It was very subtle, but still there. Although Ichiru doubted that anyone else would be able to pick up on it.

"Nii-san…" Ichiru called softly, now walking towards Zero. He put his hand on the said teen's shoulder and his eyes widened in surprise when, uncharacteristically, his brother flinched in response to his touch.

Thoroughly bewildered now, Ichiru continued, asking, "What's wrong?"

Zero blinked, clouded in thought lavender eyes clearing. He hadn't even realized that he wasn't alone anymore. "Ichiru…" he said quietly, traces of mild surprise still present in his tone. "You're back."

"Mm," Ichiru nodded, his gaze turning worried. "Did something happen?"

Zero's eyebrows rose a bit in bewilderment at the question. "No…" the teen replied after a few seconds of hesitation. "No, nothing happened," he repeated, more confidently this time around, before asking with a slight tilt of his head, "Why did you ask?"

"You just…seem to be a bit off…"

Zero could only blink in puzzlement. He lowered his gaze, amethyst eyes turning thoughtful once more as he uttered quietly, "Is that so…"

As expected of Ichiru. There was nothing Zero could really hide from his dear twin, was there…?

A small smile made its way on the older hunter's face at that thought. For some reason, he couldn't help but find that trait of his counterpart somewhat endearing.

Zero looked up and his smile widened some more, now with a tint of guilt in it as he took notice of his other half's concerned expression. Immediately, his hand went up to Ichiru's head and he gently patted soft silver locks there in wordless apology and gratitude. Which the younger twin had no problem perceiving, and he gave his counterpart a soft nod in understanding.

The silence between the two turned from slightly strained to companionable now, and it stretched for some time until Zero decided to break it, "I was just a bit…preoccupied, I guess."

That made the frown return to Ichiru's face. "With what?" What was so important that got his twin's attention to such an extent?

Zero's expression turned thoughtful once more. He didn't answer right away, unsure as to what and how to say.

Which made Ichiru that much more curious and concerned. And, for some inexplicable reason, nervous to an extent.

"It's nothing, just…" sounded Zero's voice after a few tense moments of silence. "Just something I was told. Don't worry about it," the older teen finished with a soft smile back on his face.

But Ichiru wasn't fooled, just like he wasn't about to let it go. With every intention to continue their current conversation and ultimately find out what it was that was bothering his counterpart, Ichiru opened his mouth to ask another question when he was interrupted by an annoying, high-pitched squeal of sheer joy that sounded at that moment – so untimely.

The younger twin's eyebrow twitched in irritation at the interruption.

"Oh my God, Zero! It's so incredibly delicious!" Yuuki, oblivious as ever to pretty much everything that was going on around her, praised her favorite adopted brother with a huge grin from ear to ear, her brown eyes bright with excitement and pure delight almost literally shining in them.

Ichiru wanted to wince at the sight while Zero merely chuckled in amusement. "Is that so?"

"Of course!" Yuuki replied happily with an enthusiastic nod. "I can barely stop myself from eating it all!" She really did seem to be telling the truth, if her going back for another piece was anything to go by. It was only now that the twins noticed how little of the cheesecake was suddenly left on the plate.

Ichiru was the first to react. His eyes wide with surprise and horror, he moved towards the table. "You aren't even _trying _to! Get the hell away from _my _cheesecake, you gluttonous idiot!" And he snatched the plate with whatever was still left there away from the brunet girl's reach.

Zero couldn't help chuckling at the childish pout on his twin's face as Ichiru regarded their adopted sister with an endearingly accusing look on his face. His other half really did hate it when others took or even touched his things. Zero was probably the only one who was somewhat _allowed _to do that – but only because he never had the very tendency to do so in the first place.

"You don't even _like _sweets!" Yuuki protested, ignoring the way Ichiru called her. "And who said that it's _yours_?!"

"_I _did," the younger hunter shot back. "Besides, it was _me_ who asked nii-san to make it. So keep your greedy hands off it and wait for another one of your stupid strawberry-flavored cakes."

Yuuki responded with a childish pout of her own, replying, "So what if _you _asked for it? Zero made it for us all! _And _you can't even show it the appreciation it deserves anyway! Unlike me!" The girl huffed almost proudly.

"Yeah, right," Ichiru snorted. "You will just gobble it down without even noticing you did that."

"I will _not_!"

"Sure as hell _will_."

And so it started again. Yuuki continued with her protests in spite of the fact that she most likely didn't believe in her own words herself. But it was just too frustrating for her to admit that Ichiru _was _indeed right – yet again.

And Ichiru…

Another amused chuckle fell from Zero's lips as he looked at his beloved twin.

Ichiru was actually almost hugging the plate with _his _cheesecake protectively to himself, which made the whole scene that much more amusing.

Still chuckling quietly to himself, Zero moved towards the many forgotten grocery bags and picked up a couple of them to start unloading them – at long last. It didn't look like either Ichiru or Yuuki would get to them any time soon anyway, seeing how busy they still were bickering.

Looking at his two dear siblings, Zero shook his head with an indulgent smile on his face. As always, he chose not to interfere and left the two be, quietly going about his new task.

Internally though, Zero wondered idly…

Maybe he _should_ tell Ichiru and Yuuki that there was another Lime Coconut Cheesecake waiting for them in the refrigerator…?


	17. Glass House

_**A/N: **__Truly sorry for disappearing for such a long time – again -_-; First I was too busy to write, then I went to Japan (God, yess! That was awesome! x3), and now I'm busy again since it's my last year in Uni and I have to write my master's thesis (God, help me, for it's freaking _killing _me already =_=), which means I won't be coming back for some time again after this update. And for that I am sorry in advance *bows*_

_So anyway, here is the new chapter. Disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine._

_Now without further ado…Hope you will enjoy reading! :D_

**Chapter 17: Glass House**

If until only a few days ago Takuma was somewhat sure that Zero was only pretending not to notice Kaname's feelings – which were, quite frankly, more than _just _obvious if one paid enough attention – for him…then now he had no doubts that he had been terribly and absolutely wrong in his assumptions.

But, honestly, _that _level of obliviousness was simply unimaginable!

Takuma covered his eyes with his palm and shook his head in disbelief with a long sigh.

The boy was a vampire hunter, for God's sake! And a _very _good one at that – if what he had heard from Kaname was anything to go by. How _could _he be so sharp when it came to his job and so damn _unbelievably ignorant _when it came to affairs of the heart?

Naturally, Ichijou realized that it was always easier to see and judge matters from the sidelines, but…_really_…

The noble let out another long-suffering sigh, shaking his head once more.

Honestly, Kaname should _thank _him for _helping _– so to say – Zero finally start realizing. For otherwise it would have probably dragged on for _years _more to come. And Takuma already felt sorry enough for his poor childhood friend as it was – in secret, of course.

_'So, yeah,'_ the blond thought to himself with a firm nod of his head, _'Kaname definitely _should_ be thankful, right?'_

…Only Takuma was too afraid to tell his pureblood friend and leader what he had gone and done without his permission or even knowledge – even if he did truly believe that he had done the right thing. But he knew all too well that Kaname would hardly agree, let alone be happy with him. And Takuma was _very _far from eager to have a _pureblood's _anger directed at him. Especially if that pureblood was Kaname – he could be _terrifying _when angered for real.

Another sigh sounded from the blond vampire, his shoulders sagged as his previous confidence evaporated.

He _really_ hoped that Kaname would _never _find out.

**-o- **

She woke up with a start. Yet again.

But if every time it had happened previously the nightmare she had seen in her sleep had dissipated...this time it didn't.

She screamed.

Confused and scared, she couldn't do anything else but scream her lungs out of pure fear and panic.

There was blood. Blood everywhere; on the walls, on the floor, on the bed – the light blue sheets, the pillow and the comforter were drenched in it, her light beige nightgown was painted dark red now. She could feel warm blood on her hands, sliding down her fingers. She could feel it on her face, on her lips, even in her hair. She could _taste_ it in her mouth.

She was now sitting up, her violently trembling form curled in a corner of her bed by the wall. She was crying and screaming, unknowingly tugging at her brown hair with both hands, her eyes impossibly wide and wild with nothing but absolute dread in them.

_"…-ki…?"_

She thought she heard some noise through her now probably hoarse cries, but she was in no condition to pay it any mind.

_"Yuuki…? Yuuki!" _

There it was again, calling her persistently.

_"Yuuki!" _

Someone took her by the shoulder and she jerked violently from the sudden touch. Now cowering further against the wall and still trembling uncontrollably, the girl abruptly looked up.

And her already impossibly wide eyes widened even more. And with yet another hysterical scream tearing her by now sore throat, she jumped forward with all her might and pushed the one standing before her onto the floor. Her trembling yet surprisingly strong fingers immediately found a pale, slender neck and the brunet girl squeezed it as tightly as she only could.

And she kept squeezing.

Harder and harder. And even harder – unrelenting and putting all her strength into it.

There was fury in her now for some reason. It dominated the fear and it dominated her previous panic and shock. It was burning her insides now, followed by jealousy and bitterness and deep resentment and even slight secret hatred and betrayal.

Her fingers tightened further.

The body beneath her had long begun to struggle, trying to stop her hands from what they were doing, but all the attempts turned out to be surprisingly futile.

_"Y-you…" _Yuuki started hoarsely, continuing to choke the life out of her victim. _"You…it's all _you_…It's all _your _fault…" _she said quietly, her eyes unblinking and still just as wild – if not more – as she gazed unseeingly into the wide, shocked eyes of her prey. _"It's all you…" _she kept saying over and over, _"If only you hadn't…if only you…" _

She was rambling now, repeating the same group of words again and again, her fingers tightening further with each sentence and soon breaking the delicate skin of the pale neck with their unexpectedly sharp nails.

She could feel life ever so slowly start to leave the body beneath her. She could feel it get weaker with every passing second.

_Slowly… _

_Very slowly, but surely…_

And she liked it. For some inexplicable reason she didn't really care to ponder on, Yuuki found that she _truly _liked the feeling she was getting from strangling the life out of her victim.

A dark, almost manic grin slowly spread across the brunet girl's face. She let out a low chuckle and squeezed tighter.

And tighter.

And _tighter_, her petite form now trembling, breathing labored, eyes even wider and madder than before. She could literally _feel _it…

_Just a few more seconds and…_

"Get the hell _off _him, you psycho!"

The loud voice made the girl flinch violently from surprise and she stopped what she was doing before being unceremoniously torn off her prey and pushed away in a rough uncaring manner. Her back and head collided with a wall as a result, both making her even more disoriented and bringing her back to her senses.

Yuuki winced in pain, her hand cradling her now pounding head. A soft groan left her lips as she started to slowly come back to reality.

"For fuck's sake, what the hell is _wrong _with you!?" sounded that same voice again. It was practically overflowing with rage and indignation – all directed at her, she could tell even in her current state.

Somehow, it made her involuntarily shudder. She had never heard that version of that familiar voice before. But now that she had…for some reason, it left her terrified.

The girl looked up, blinking slowly and frowning in confusion.

"Ichiru…?" Yuuki uttered quietly, never receiving any recognition from the said teen, who was busy with…

The brunet's eyes widened in surprise yet again and she called, "Zero? What's-…what are you two-…?" She was unable to finish her questions, hardly understanding what she even wanted to ask in the first place herself. She looked around the room, as though only now realizing where she was. "Eh? What…"

"How are you, nii-san? Are you okay?" came Ichiru's voice again. It was soft and genuinely worried this time. Although for a moment there Yuuki thought she heard it quiver – oddly. But she chose to dismiss it, deciding it was just her imagination. "Can you get up?"

"Yeah…" that was Zero. He gave Ichiru a small nod, for some reason holding his neck.

Yuuki's brows drew together in yet another frown.

Why was Zero's voice so hoarse? And why was he coughing? Did he catch a cold or something? And more importantly…What on earth was going on? Why were the twins in her room?

"Hey, what-" Yuuki started asking, but stopped the second Ichiru turned and laid his eyes on her.

The girl froze. Then her rigid form began to tremble involuntarily from sheer…_terror_.

But it wasn't the fact that Ichiru's normally lilac eyes were now of vivid crimson color that frightened Yuuki, no – although she had to admit that that, too, was scary. It was _the way he was looking at her_ that made the girl genuinely afraid of the younger twin. There was…_hatred_…in those normally calm, clear eyes. Almost always twinkling with playfulness and mischief, they now were filled with nothing but icy coldness and dark contempt.

_Directed only at her…_

Yuuki gulped nervously and lowered her gaze, for some reason unable to look Ichiru in the eye.

A tense silence followed. But it was soon interrupted by Zero, who finally put Yuuki out of her misery.

"Ichiru…" Zero called a bit hoarsely still. Unusually though, his counterpart didn't show any reaction to him, so he repeated the action, his hand reaching for Ichiru's cheek, "Ichiru, look at me."

Ever so slowly and with evident discontent, Ichiru did.

"Calm down," Zero said in a soft yet firm tone. Gently, he caressed his other half's hair and, bringing their foreheads closer together, repeated, "Calm down."

"But nii-san-"

"It's okay," Zero interrupted Ichiru before he could finish protesting. "I'm alright, so…just calm down. Got it?"

Ichiru didn't answer. And it was more than clear from his expression that he was far from eager to grant his older brother's request.

But he agreed to do so with a slow nod, albeit reluctantly.

Now even more confused and curious to know what was going on than before, Yuuki watched her two adopted brothers anxiously, her gaze going from Zero to Ichiru and back. And then, as the older twin removed his hand from his neck, the brunet girl noticed something.

Brown eyes widened.

For reasons she couldn't begin to comprehend, Yuuki broke out in a cold sweat all of a sudden. Her whole body went completely rigid.

"Hey…Z-Zero… th-those marks are…" Yuuki tried to ask, curious to know, but faltered, also afraid of it.

Zero looked at her with an unfamiliar, troubled expression on his face – one that made the girl all the more uneasy about this situation she was in yet didn't quite grasp.

Silence lengthened.

Then Zero opened his mouth to speak and probably answer Yuuki's unfinished question, but Ichiru's voice sounded before the older teen could do so.

"Let's go, nii-san," the younger twin said, only now getting up from the floor and pulling Zero with him.

"Ichiru-"

"W-wait, Ichiru!" Yuuki protested vehemently, interrupting Zero. She got up as well to follow the twins. "You still haven't told me what-"

"Get the hell away from us," Ichiru said coldly, abruptly stopping in his tracks and turning to face a stunned Yuuki.

"Ichiru, cut it out! It's-"

"You keep quiet, nii-san," Ichiru replied in an unexpectedly calm tone – one that sent an unpleasant shudder down Zero's spine. Involuntarily, the older twin complied. Ichiru continued, now speaking to Yuuki, his tone even calmer, colder and all the more intimidating, "And _you_…If you do anything to hurt my brother _again_…trust me, Yuuki, I _will _make you seriously regret it, and neither Cross, nor your precious Kuran…and not even _Zero _would be able to stop me."

Ichiru didn't wait for a reply and just left, dragging a shocked Zero along with him and leaving Yuuki alone in her room, confused, trembling in fear and on the verge of tears.

"How cruel…" came another voice after some while, startling Yuuki out of her anguish-filled daze.

Her teary eyes widened, the girl looked towards her room's window to find an unexpected visitor there, sitting relaxedly on the windowsill with an uncharacteristic smile on his face. Somehow Yuuki couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy at the sight. "Shiki…sempai…?" she called uncertainly, unconsciously backing away from the maroon-haired vampire.

"Treating you so coldly even though you had no idea what you were doing…" The vampire's usually expressionless face turned sympathetic as he continued, "You poor, poor thing…"

Letting out a soft chuckle, Shiki got up from the windowsill and moved towards Yuuki, his smile back in place. Stopping only when he was directly in front of the girl, the male spoke again, "Shall I lend you a hand?"

**-o- **

"…Are you okay?" Zero asked his twin after a long while of silence and hesitation.

There was a chuckle that hardly spoke of amusement. Then Ichiru replied, "It's funny how you ask _me _if _I _am okay when _you _are the one who got attacked."

Zero chose not to answer. He merely gave a small sigh and continued stroking his twin's silky silver locks comfortingly as they sat on their bed with Zero leaning casually against the wall while Ichiru was resting practically all his weight on his other half, hugging him.

Ichiru's arms tightened around his counterpart.

After some while of uncomfortable silence, Zero spoke again, "You do realize that she wasn't in her right mind…don't you?"

"I do. Got that feeling the moment I entered the room. So what?"

"So you should-"

"No, I shouldn't," Ichiru answered before Zero could finish, already knowing what his twin would ask of him. "And I sure as hell _will not_. The fact that Yuuki went temporarily crazy there doesn't make it any better. So let's just drop this subject. Because no matter what you say," Ichiru shifted his head that was resting comfortably atop Zero's chest to look his twin in the eye, his cold gaze leaving no room for protests, "you will lose, nii-san."

Zero froze. His heart skipped a beat, and then raced. His whole body went cold all of a sudden.

He knew _that_ look. And he knew _that_ expression. He…

_He had already seen them…_

He had seen them on several occasions many, many years ago – at least so it now seemed, like it had happened in a distant past. But no matter how long ago it had been, he would never forget it – he just wouldn't be _able to_, even if he tried hard enough.

So now he undoubtedly recognized it. For it was _that _look. The very same one that Ichiru used to give to…

"Ichiru…" Zero called quietly, his voice on the verge of trembling now.

"Yes?" the younger teen answered somewhat absently, his head back on Zero's chest and eyes closed.

"You…" Zero faltered for a moment, hesitant to continue. He put his other hand that had been resting on Ichiru's back all this time on the said teen's head and gently lifted it to look his twin in the eye, thus making the latter sit up from his comfortable position. "Ichiru, you…you won't do anything…right?" Zero finally inquired, stupidly hopeful yet reasonably doubtful.

Ichiru's eyes widened a fraction at the question as well as the tone of his counterpart's voice. He stayed silent for a few long seconds, merely looking at his brother impassively. Then a soft, loving smile slowly found its way on Ichiru's face and the teen spoke, "Do what, nii-san? I don't quite understand what you're talking about."

Uneasiness in Zero grew.

"Ichiru…" Zero uttered nervously with a hint of worried warning that his other half didn't miss.

Ichiru held his brother's gaze with his smile still in place and unwavering. Then, after some more time, he chuckled and leaned closer to the older teen to bring their foreheads together, his hands going up to cup Zero's face. "Don't worry, nii-san," Ichiru started softly, his thumbs stroking Zero's smooth cheeks tenderly in a soothing manner, "Of course I won't do anything. I would never want to make you feel sad. You know that."

"…I do," Zero replied, lowering his now thoughtful gaze.

Ichiru's smile widened. He let go of Zero's cheeks and slowly leaned down to bury his face in his counterpart's collarbone as he locked him in another gentle embrace that the older teen returned without a second thought.

Stroking his twin's silver tresses, Zero closed his eyes and rested his cheek on Ichiru's head. He breathed in his other half's familiar, calming scent and slowly relaxed into the embrace, repeating absently in a barely audible voice, "I do…"

**-o- **

Not for the first time since he had started suffering from this…well, _condition_, if it could be called that, of his, Kaname felt like a total idiot.

Seriously, what the _hell _was he doing standing in front of Cross's house, rooted to the spot and unable to move for the last…what, half an hour? It was either going inside, like he always did, or leaving – simple as that. Yet he could do neither.

Honestly, what in the world was _wrong _with him…?

A derisive snort sounded in his mind in response to that question, but Kaname ignored it, choosing to concentrate on his current dilemma instead.

Really, it was just another one of his visits. Just another one of his routine visits. There was _absolutely _nothing special about it.

Kaname's fingers tightened on the handles of a gift bag he was holding. There was another snort in his head, but he disregarded it as well.

Okay, there was nothing difficult about it, right? Right? All he had to do was just…

Before Kaname could continue his self-torture – one that the pureblood himself knew and admitted was ridiculous – and spend another thirty minutes in front of the Cross residence, the front door of the said house opened and an all too familiar form came into view. Kaname froze, tensing involuntarily.

Great. Just great. Who knew that it was actually possible for him to feel like an even bigger fool?

"Kaname," came Zero's familiar soft voice that the brunet vampire hadn't heard in what seemed like a very long time, when in fact it was only a couple of weeks that he had been absent from the academy. He had missed it. More than he had thought.

Kaname could clearly see quiet amusement in Zero's eyes, which undoubtedly heightened his embarrassment tenfold. Honestly, if the pureblood wasn't…well, himself, he would certainly be blushing like a total idiot already.

But that expression on Zero's face also made Kaname feel the familiar by now warmth in his chest for some reason, so he couldn't really complain….much, he supposed...It was undeniable though that he was still beyond mortified.

"Welcome back," was the only thing Zero said – to Kaname's relief – as he gestured for the brunet vampire to come inside the house.

Which the pureblood did without a moment's hesitation, his legs moving of their own accord before he could even think about giving them such command.

"Thank you," Kaname replied softly with a faint smile after some time. "I…uh, it has been a while, Zero-kun. How have you been?"

"Fine, like usual," the hunter replied with a light shrug of his shoulders as the two were walking towards their destination. Which somehow turned out to be the kitchen without either of them having to mention it aloud. "A bit lonely without you though, as expected."

Kaname's eyes widened. His breath hitched and he faltered in his tracks for a moment before continuing forward with difficulty.

"Is that so…" the pureblood said with a faint smile that he couldn't keep off his lips. He knew his tone was a little too happy to sound like his usual self, but he just couldn't help it.

"Mm," Zero nodded absently in response as he put the kettle on right after the two arrived at the kitchen.

A companionable silence settled over the room. Kaname watched Zero quietly as the teen continued going about his task.

"What is it?" Zero asked when his attention returned to the pureblood after some while only to find the said man still standing in the middle of the room. "Sit down and make yourself comfortable. The tea is ready."

Kaname blinked, as though coming out of a daze. "Oh…right…" he uttered absently with a slight nod, mentally scolding himself for his idiotic – at least in his eyes – behavior. He was about to take a seat at the table when he remembered something.

"Zero-kun, this…" the brunet started, lifting the previously forgotten gift bag in his hand and reaching into it. He fished a small box out of it and, after looking at the newly presented object thoughtfully for a few seconds, returned his gaze to the younger teen and continued, "I, um…I bought you a souvenir. It's nothing special, just…It's just a gift. I hope you will like it."

Kaname's throat went completely dry by the time he finished speaking and he barely managed to keep his hand steady – pathetic as he knew it was – as he silently offered Zero the box. Thankfully though, the said teen didn't seem to notice his nervousness.

Zero blinked, a bit surprised. But he still took the box after only a moment's hesitation. "Thanks…" the hunter uttered absently, staring at the object in his hands in a slight daze that lasted for no more than a couple of seconds. A soft smile making its way on his lips, Zero lifted his amethyst eyes to meet Kaname's burgundy ones and continued, "Thank you, Kaname. I'm sure I will." He paused as his gaze shifted briefly to the box before turning to the brunet vampire anew. Then Zero asked, "May I?"

Kaname only managed a nod in response, not trusting himself enough to speak at the moment.

With another soft smile, Zero opened the box and carefully took out the item that was in it. And his eyes widened in awe at what he saw.

There, in his hands, the silver-haired teen was holding what was probably the most beautiful water globe he had ever seen.

Although its shape and outer design were relatively simple, like those of any other water globe, what was inside of the liquid-filled sphere took Zero's breath away.

It was a flower. A rose. A beautiful, lavender rose with leaves of deep violet color, and even though Zero knew the flower couldn't be real, it couldn't look more alive in his eyes. And the whole composition was made even more beautiful by small, somewhat silvery-white petals that lay on the bottom of the transparent sphere, along with tiny, shiny particles that somehow floated around the rose without settling down.

The silver-haired teen couldn't help but be entranced by the sight.

Kaname watched Zero's reaction nervously, his heart pounding away against his ribcage like crazy. For the umpteenth time in the last few years, the pureblood cursed himself for his inability to control this stupid thing called heart. Honestly, why did body even _need_ such an inconvenient organ?

Kaname unknowingly stopped breathing when, the next moment, Zero uttered his name.

"Y-yes?" the brunet replied, mentally cursing himself for actually stammering. His fingers involuntarily tightened on the handles of the gift bag still in his hand, his pulse raced further.

"It's beautiful," Zero said with a smile and expression that filled Kaname's chest with warmth that spread over his entire body up to the very tips of his fingers, leaving a strangely pleasant tingling sensation in its wake. "Thank you. I love it."

It was with difficulty, but Kaname still managed to reply, "That is wonderful." A smile of his own tugged at his lips – one of sincere happiness and pure relief. He continued, "I am delighted that you like it, Zero-kun."

Then Kaname remembered something else, more stupidly euphoric at these moments than ever, and asked, "And where are Yuuki and Ichiru-kun?" He knew they weren't anywhere in the house as well as Cross. Their presences told him that – or their absence, to be precise. "I have something for them as well," the brunet finished, slightly lifting the gift bag he was holding for Zero to see.

"Oh, they are…" Zero couldn't help the involuntary uneasiness he suddenly felt about the subject. He certainly hoped Kaname would miss it. "Um, Ichiru is patrolling the grounds and Yuuki…she is in the Sun Dorms."

"Oh…" That was…unusual. Not for Ichiru, but for Yuuki. She rarely stayed at the dorms. "I see…In that case-"

"Nii-san, you here?" sounded Ichiru's voice from the hallway, interrupting Kaname before he could finish his sentence. It was accompanied by the sound of a slamming door and it got louder as it got closer, "Can you switch with me? Because I swear I will _kill _that curly-haired bastard if I-" Ichiru continued, but stopped the second he entered the kitchen and laid his eyes on Kaname. He stayed silent for a long moment, slightly taken aback, and then said with a scowl, "Oh, _you _again."

Well, Kaname was _more _than just used to that treatment by now. So it wasn't too hard to dismiss it.

Raising an eyebrow, the pureblood repeated, "'Curly-haired…'" But he chose not to finish Ichiru's chosen phrase.

"Not you, Kaname," Zero reassured with a fond smile and a small chuckle of amusement. He couldn't help but find the pureblood's current expression somewhat funny – no matter how neutral Kaname tried to keep it.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, nii-san," Ichiru responded with a raised eyebrow of his own, his arms folded across his chest.

Kaname decided to ignore that one too and said instead, "Thank you, Ichiru-kun. It is a pleasure to see you again too."

"Yeah, yeah. You and your stupid pureblood manners."

"I never thought my _'pureblood manners'_, as you put it, could offend anyone."

"They don't," Ichiru gave a derisive snort. "They're just plain annoying. Just like their owner, by the way."

"Ichiru…" Zero sighed tiredly, giving his twin a _look_. One that Ichiru didn't miss – naturally. "You know it's not Kaname's fault Kaito is an ass. So come here and have a tea with us. It will calm you down a bit. Okay?"

"…" Ichiru stayed where he was at first, stubbornly refusing to move. But then he let out a resigned sigh and moved towards the table. "You may be right, nii-san, but it doesn't change the fact that _his _presence only ruins my mood more."

"I thought you would be used to it by now, Ichiru-kun," Kaname said calmly, taking a seat at the table. He put the gift bag he was holding onto it and pushed it towards Ichiru."Here, maybe it will help to lighten your mood."

"The hell is that?" the younger twin questioned in response, eyeing the package almost warily.

"Just a couple of small presents from my trip. For you and Yuuki."

Ichiru snorted. "How thoughtful of you."

Kaname shrugged nonchalantly, replying, "I suppose it is."

"But you shouldn't have bothered." Ichiru continued, pushing the gift bag back towards the brunet vampire. "Go ahead and give whatever it is you ever so kindly bought for me to your precious little princess."

Sarcasm was more than clear in Ichiru's tone – just like every time he spoke to Kaname. But there was also something else now. Something new. And it was especially prominent in the last few words of the younger hunter's sentence.

Burgundy eyes narrowed.

Now _that _tone Kaname didn't like. And he certainly wasn't going to tolerate it. It was one thing when Ichiru was being rude and spiteful towards him, but when it was towards _her_…

"Ichiru-" Zero started warningly with a disapproving frown, only to be interrupted by Kaname a split second later.

"I do not appreciate your tone, Ichiru-kun. Especially if, as it sounded to me for some reason, it was meant mostly for _Yuuki _than for me…" the pureblood said slowly and dangerously quietly, his cold narrowed gaze steady on the younger Kiryuu twin.

Which Ichiru met head on with a dark, steely look of his own, hardly intimidated by the vampire in front of him in spite of what his mixed instincts were now starting to whisper to him.

Unconsciously, Zero moved closer to his twin's side – his protectiveness never failing to show itself.

Meanwhile Kaname continued, "In which case I suggest you _calm down_ and _think well _before you go any further."

"Oh, really?" Ichiru replied with another derisive snort and a wry smile. "_'Calm down _and _think well'_, huh…? Why don't you go and offer that same advice of yours to your _dear Yuuki_, Kuran? _She _sure as hell needs it, unlike me."

"What are you talking about?" Kaname answered with a question of his own just as alarmingly quietly and calmly as the last time.

Zero tensed involuntarily. While Ichiru remained amazingly calm.

The younger twin didn't wait long to give his reply, "What I'm talking about is that…your stupid little _toy_," he ignored his counterpart who called his name warningly once more, "has lost her freaking mind without her _master_. And it would be great if you went and did _something _about that before _I _will be forced to do it."

Garnet eyes narrowed further and flashed bright red for one dangerous moment.

Kaname opened his mouth to say something in response, but Ichiru beat him to it.

Slowly standing up, the younger Kiryuu resumed speaking, this time to his twin. "I changed my mind, nii-san. I'll return to patrolling." Hopefully, he would stumble on something to test his hunter katana on. Preferably Aidou. The idiot was always a perfect target for practice. "And you should fill _him _in on what happened," Ichiru went on, throwing Kaname a dirty look, his face set in a scowl, "since _he _is the one to blame for it in the first place."

Kaname rose as well, thoroughly frustrated and tired of listening to the other's nonsense by now. "What _are _you talking about? I demand an explanation, Ichiru-kun."

"An explanation, huh?" Ichiru said, regarding the pureblood coldly. He stopped near his twin. "How about _that_," Ichiru continued as he raised his hand to pull the collar of Zero's light gray turtleneck sweater down, "for an explanation?"

And garnet eyes widened in shock and utter horror at the sight that greeted them.

Zero quickly pulled his collar back up, but Kaname still remembered what he had seen no more than a second before all too clearly.

He was lost for words, his mind numb and unable to come up with any explanation of what exactly it was that was going on whatsoever.

One idea did occur to him however. But he didn't get to voice it just yet.

"I'm out of here." Ichiru said, ignoring his counterpart's soft call of his name. "_You_ give that idiot the explanation he wants so much, nii-san." And he left.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. It lingered for some while until Kaname's quiet, somewhat strained voice finally shattered it.

"Zero-kun…" the pureblood started, moving towards the silver-haired teen hesitantly. Before he could realize what he was doing, his hand was moving up to Zero's neck. He had to take another look – a closer look.

But he didn't get to, as Zero's involuntary reaction to his action immediately stopped his movements altogether.

Kaname's eyes widened as he caught himself, instantly regretting his unintentional thoughtlessness. "I apologize," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's okay," Zero interrupted the other with a brief shake of the head. "Sorry." He gave Kaname an apologetic smile and then pulled the collar of his sweater down himself, albeit hesitantly.

And silence reigned once more.

Kaname just stared.

And stared.

And stared some more still.

And as he did so, intense anger Kaname hadn't known before welled up within him.

His garnet eyes darkened as his fingers brushed the bruised skin of Zero's neck carefully.

And he mentally cursed himself for his stupidity the next moment.

"I am sorry," the pureblood apologized again after noticing the way Zero tensed at his touch. His hand retreated a bit, he asked, "May I?"

It took Zero a few moments to give Kaname a slow nod in response.

Cold fingers returned to his neck then. And probably for the first time in many years Zero couldn't help but be somewhat conscious of how incredibly gentle and careful they were.

But he pushed the thought to the back of his mind for now, choosing to focus on other things – something Kaname only helped him with.

"Was it him?" came from the pureblood after a long while of tense silence.

Zero blinked, his eyes widening and brows rising in confusion. A faint frown came to his features as he tilted his head slightly to side and asked, "'Him'…?"

"The one…you told me about. The one who takes over Shiki's body from time to time."

Zero's initial response was a soft _'Oh…' _as realization dawned on him. He found himself wishing that Kaname's conjecture wasn't as far from the truth as it actually was. At least it wouldn't have been so weird for _that _person to do something like that – the vibe Zero had been getting from him whenever he had been around had told the young hunter that the man could do things far worse.

"No…" the teen started with difficulty, his gaze lowering. "He hasn't appeared in a while." Or so Zero believed.

_'But then who in the world would-' _Kaname halted in his thoughts as Ichiru's words came back to him, hitting him hard. He froze.

It was only after another while of heavy silence that Kaname finally managed to push the words out of his suddenly dry throat.

"Zero-kun, when your brother-… What exactly was Ichiru-kun talking about…?"

Zero bit his lip unconsciously, still avoiding the other's attentive gaze that he could practically _feel _trained on him.

The silence between the two lengthened.

Then, after what seemed like a very long time, Zero finally met Kaname's apprehensive burgundy eyes with his own uncertain and worried lavender ones.

"Kaname, I…I think there is something going on with Yuuki…"


	18. Conflicted Minds

_**A/N: **__Wow, this update came much, _much _sooner than I had anticipated. Quite frankly, I thought that I wouldn't be able to write for another couple of months (at the very least), but this chapter just kept bugging me every hour of every freaking day – seeing as almost half of it was done right after the last update with the rest being all planned out and sitting in my head. Stayed that way for quite a while, but in the end I simply couldn't stand it any longer, so I spent the last few days finishing this chapter instead of continuing to write my graduation thesis that still has a _very _long way to go -_-; Lovely, isn't it? That's just so me that I want to cry. For real._

_But anyway! Hope you will like this chapter, because the next one _definitely _won't be coming your way any time soon. I seriously need to return to my studies and to completely give myself to them in order to do well. Which I will do right after posting this update, so…see you in a few months! *waves*_

_Thanks to everyone for your favs, alerts and, of course, for your lovely reviews! I truly appreciate them all *bows*_

_As always, disclaimer stands, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine. _

_And now without further ado…Please enjoy! :D_

**Chapter 18: Conflicted Minds **

"Ironic, isn't it?" reached Kaname's ears as he entered the lounge room of the Moon Dormitory. It was empty with the only exception of Shiki who was sitting on the bottom of the stairs, one knee up, chin propped on one hand as he stared absently at a box of pocky in his other hand.

Burgundy eyes narrowed, darkening.

Shiki continued, "The one last thing hermother did to save her actually ends up torturing her like it does now…" He lifted his eyes and a slow smile spread across his perfect face as he locked gazes with Kaname. "Life can be so cruel...Don't you think so, dear _'nephew'_?"

"What have you done to her?" Kaname asked darkly in response, his tone as cold as his gaze. "What _are _you doing to her?"

"Oh? So you think it's _my _fault now?" Shiki paused to let out a hearty chuckle. To Kaname's ears it couldn't sound more wrong coming from the unsuspecting maroon-haired vampire before him. "What a poor opinion you have of your own flesh and blood, Kaname." He tilted his head slightly to the side and placed a hand on his chest, a fake pained expression appearing on his face as he continued, "You are hurting my feelings, you know."

Kaname couldn't help but scowl darkly in distaste at the dramatic act the other was putting on. As usual, any kind of contact with this particular individual evoked nothing but strong aversion in him.

"Now, stop making such a face, Kaname. It is so unbecoming to a pureblood of your standing. Besides," Shiki paused to pull a pocky stick out of the box. Staring at it blankly, he continued speaking distractedly, "it's not like _I _did something to hurt the girl. After all, _you _succeed at it just fine all on your own."

"You have become even more delusional than before," Kaname answered with a snort of contempt. "I never did anything to hurt Yuuki. And I _never _will."

"Right," Shiki scoffed. "Keep believing in _that_, why don't you? It will be so much fun for me to see where it will leave you."

"What are you implying?" Kaname growled out, quickly running out of patience with the other. The man _did _always know how to annoy him.

"_Implying_…?" Another scoff. "I would hardly call that _'implying'_. You are just too…well, _distracted_…to see what I am talking about." The possessed vampire let out a chuckle, and then continued, "Not that I cannot relate to that, but still…You really _are _losing your touch, Kaname."

The pureblood offered no reply. Although it wasn't like Shiki needed one anyway. Not minding his companion, he returned his attention to the pink-colored pocky stick between his fingers, looking it over with something akin to suspicion in his icy eyes. Kaname would have been genuinely amused had it been any other person sitting in front of him.

Shiki took a careful – if not cautious – bite of the candy, only to cringe at the taste in the end.

"Too sweet," he mumbled to himself. "How can one eat so much of this?"

The maroon-haired vampire's rhetorical question was followed by silence.

But soon the said male resumed speaking.

"So, what now, dear nephew?" Shiki asked, raising his head and returning his gaze to Kaname. "What _are _you going to do about _this _newfound problem of yours?" He paused to let the other reply, but Kaname remained silent. Unaffected, Shiki continued, "For if you don't do anything, she _will _keep trying…And then _someone else _will take care of the matter in your stead."

Another few seconds of silence, after which Shiki gave a snort of laughter. "Won't blame them for it though. You know, that younger one does have a right to be so angry with you after all. Oh, the way he treated you earlier…" A chuckle of mocking amusement escaped the possessed noble's lips.

Kaname's eyes widened. _How did he-_

"Then again, it's not like you aren't used to such an attitude," came from Shiki before the pureblood could finish the question in his head. The wide grin the maroon-haired vampire had on his face as he spoke made Kaname's blood boil with anger.

Meanwhile the other continued.

"Honestly, what are you so meek for, Kaname? A powerful, almighty pureblood like you…behaving like an innocent _boy_ when it comes to some _baby_ _hunter_…" Shiki paused to let out a scoff. "Tell me, is your fear of rejection _that _strong?"

Kaname ignored the last few sentences, choosing to focus on one question that was bugging him insistently instead. "How did you know that Ichiru-kun-"

"That he was especially harsh with poor little you this time around? Why, because I was _nearby_, of course." Shiki's tone and smile couldn't be more condescending as he said that. "What a dumb question to ask."

_'But-' _

Once again, Shiki answered before Kaname could finish the thought.

"Oh, that's right…I forgot to mention that I found a way to escape our little hunter's radar." Even if for only a short while. Those senses of the boy's were so good they could be troublesome on _certain_ occasions. "So _now _I can sneak up on him too if I want to. Now, isn't _that _just splendid?" He let out an almost hearty chuckle.

Kaname's eyes narrowed, his hands involuntarily clenching into tight fists.

The temperature in the room dropped noticeably, but the younger vampire paid it no mind.

"I wonder what kind of reaction I will get from him to that," Shiki said almost absently, as if to no one in particular. Then his gaze fixed on Kaname anew and he continued with a smirk, "Might as well try it out sometime next week. Or the one after that. Or any day I am bored, really…" he said with a casual shrug of his shoulders. "But then again…There is also my poor little _niece _who desperately needs her _real _family's support…So _maybe _I will go ahead and help _her _first…"

The room got colder again, but Shiki remained unfazed. His smirk widening, he tilted his head to the side a bit and asked, "What do you think, Kaname? Which one do you think I will choose? Which one _don't _you want me to get close to the most…?"

Kaname didn't say a word in response. And yet…

"Oh…" came from Shiki next in a tone that couldn't sound more mocking, "And there I have my answer…"

**-o- **

Kaname let out a small sigh as he picked up a letter opener from his desk and, after staring at it distractedly for a few long moments, made a deep cut in the palm of his hand.

It hurt. And the wound stung as he curled his fingers into a fist to help the blood get into a glass vessel he was using to collect it faster, but Kaname barely even winced, too lost in his thoughts.

It had been a few days since his return and since that brief yet extremely unpleasant encounterwith his…_relative_…had taken place. And in spite of that, he _still _hadn't done anything. Not about Yuuki…Not about Rido…Not about…anything, really.

And he was _still _doing _nothing_. So unlike his usual, _normal _self…

Another sigh, this time heavier.

Maybe he really _was_ 'losing his touch' after all…?

Kaname's features contorted in distaste the moment his deranged _uncle's _words came back to him. He opened his now healed palm and dug the letter opener deep into it again before repeating the action of curling his slender fingers into a fist to squeeze out more blood.

He truly _loathed _to even _consider _admitting it, but…

It really _was _ruining him, wasn't it…?

It _had _already, in fact.

His plans, his desires, his determination, his priorities, his way of _feeling _and his very perception of all those _feelings _along with many other things… His whole former self had been destroyed by it, and yet Kaname couldn't decide whether it was really such a bad thing – as he knew he _should_ think of it – or not.

Because while this new…_feeling_, he supposed…was unknown and rather frightening for him, it also was undeniable that it brought him what could only be described as inner joy… And the fact that it actually had made him feel ashamed of himself just a few days back didn't change that simple fact.

He knew it was selfish and irresponsible of him to make that silent choice – however unwittingly. He knew that by doing that he had failed those he thought of and loved as his real parents…And even more so he knew that by doing that he betrayed one of his closest and most beloved persons in the entire world – the one he now _truly _thought of and loved as his sweet little sister…

And that was wrong. And shameful, despicable and simply unforgivable.

Yet Kaname couldn't find it in himself to hate or even deny that _feeling _that made him act the way he had and did now. It was already there – it _had been _for quite some time now – with its roots deep within him and Kaname seriously doubted that he would ever want or be able to get rid of it even if he could help it.

The vessel was almost full now, the brunet realized. But he thought he needed to add just a bit more to be safe…

He cut his palm yet again and repeated all the other actions that should follow the previous one. Then, in no longer than a few drops' time, the small glass object was filled with pure vampire blood to the brim. Kaname took its top and screwed it back on the vessel.

Now he was good to go. But first…

Burgundy eyes turned to the still damp from blood palm of their owner.

He needed to clean up.

**-o- **

Zero knocked lightly at the door of Yuuki's dorm room and waited. There was no response nor movement at first, but then the brunet girl's slightly muffled voice sounded and after a few more moments she appeared from behind the door herself.

"Oh…" Brown eyes widened. "Zero…hi…" Unconsciously, Yuuki lowered her gaze, unable to look the other teen in the eye for some reason. "What is it?"

"Nothing…I just came to talk to you is all." Even without seeing her adopted brother's face, Yuuki could tell he had a small, gentle smile on his lips – one that was meant to soothe her. It always did, actually. Under normal circumstances. Now, however…

Yuuki sneaked a quick peek at Zero's neck. Just like the last few days, it was covered by a sweater's collar again.

The familiar by now feeling of guilt returned anew to plague the girl.

"How are you?" Zero asked then, oblivious to the other's current inner torment.

"Fine…" Yuuki replied quietly, her gaze anywhere but on her adopted brother and her fingers clutching the hem of her skirt nervously. Her discomfort couldn't be more evident.

And Zero didn't fail to notice it.

A sigh reached the brunet girl's ears. Then, to her surprise, a hand was on her head, warm and gentle. Brown eyes wide with confusion, Yuuki looked up. She was unable to say anything though and merely stared at Zero, blinking stupidly.

Zero let out another sigh.

"You _are_ an idiot, you know," Zero said at long last. "The hell are you doing holed up in here? You have your own home. Stop beating yourself up over some ridiculous accident and come back."

Yuuki blinked again, her eyes widening more. She felt an all too familiar sting of tears then and, unable to hold back, she broke down right in front of Zero. She had no idea what in the world had come over her to make her cry all of a sudden, but it didn't matter. She couldn't stop now anyway no matter how hard she tried. Especially so after Zero pulled her into a warm embrace and patted her head comfortingly the next moment.

"Shh, it's alright," the silver-haired teen started softly. "You're alright, everything is fine."

"It's not," Yuuki sobbed out, her hunched shoulders trembling. "Ichiru hates me now. And you do too…"

Yuuki could hear an unmistakable smile in the other's voice as he replied, "I don't, stupid. And neither does Ichiru."

"He does. I know he does."

"He _doesn't_," Zero insisted with a fond smile on his face. "He was just…scared back then. He didn't _really _mean what he said." Or so Zero _truly _hoped and wanted to believe.

_'Lies,' _Yuuki thought to herself. She knew she was right. She knew Ichiru did hate her now. She had felt it with her _skin _that night…

But she chose not to voice her thoughts.

"He has cooled off already, so it's alright," Zero continued. Then he gave a small snort of laughter before adding, "He still refuses to apologize though. But just give him some more time. He'll get there."

Yuuki couldn't help chuckling through her sobs at that. "Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen." It was _Ichiru_, for God's sake. And Ichiru did _not _apologize. Never. And not to anyone – at least not to those who wasn't Zero.

The silver-haired hunter gave a hearty chuckle before replying, "Hey, don't give up on him just yet. You know he is not as mean as he may come across."

"Sometimes he is," came Yuuki's muffled voice again. Sniffing, the girl freed herself from Zero's embrace and, finally looking up at the older teen, she added, "No, scratch that. He _is _as mean as he _'may'_ come across. He is a bully." And a very evil one at that.

Zero let out an amused chuckle. Yuuki's expression was just priceless. "Is he now?"

He received a firm nod in response, which only amused him further.

"I see," Zero said with another small chuckle and a fond smile playing on his lips.

A companionable silence followed as Yuuki wiped away her tears before giving Zero a small, almost sheepish smile of her own in response.

After a few more moments, the silver-haired teen spoke again, "You okay?"

"Mm," Yuuki nodded in reply. "Thanks, Zero. I..." she started, but faltered and lowered her head, suddenly discouraged and uncertain all over again. "Thanks."

A small sigh came from Zero. He reached up and placed his hand on Yuuki's head once more in another attempt to comfort the girl.

Strangely enough, it actually worked. Although Zero had no way of knowing that.

"There's one of your favorite cakes waiting for you in the refrigerator," Zero started, smiling when he saw the brunet girl perk up with her brown eyes lighting up noticeably. "And Ichiru and I won't be at home for the rest of the day, so go ahead and help yourself to some of it. _Or_," the young hunter's tone and smile turned teasing then, "to all of it, like you always do."

"I don't!" Yuuki protested vehemently, her cheeks puffing up comically.

Zero let out another chuckle. "If you say so."

"I _don't_!"

"Okay, okay, I got it already," Zero conceded with an amused smile never leaving his features.

Yuuki could see that the other was still making fun of her in his head, but she decided to drop the subject and asked instead, "Are you two going somewhere?"

"Yeah. On a mission."

"Oh…I see…" Yuuki lowered her gaze thoughtfully. She couldn't help worrying every time the twins left for their hunter missions. Even she knew they were dangerous no matter how skilled one was.

Nevertheless, the girl tried to give Zero an encouraging smile as she said, "Be careful, Zero. And come back sooner, okay?"

"Mm," the silver-haired teen nodded with a soft, grateful smile on his lips. "Don't worry about us, we will be fine."

"Yeah, I know…" _But still…_

"I have to go now. Will you be okay on your own?" He still was a bit concerned.

"Yeah, don't worry about me." Yuuki answered, this time in a much more cheerful voice. Then, with a warm smile, she added, "I'll see you later, Zero."

The silver-haired teen gave another beautiful smile before replying, "Yeah…Later." And he went his way, leaving Yuuki to her own devices.

Zero was ready to join his brother who he knew was getting a bit impatient by now – Ichiru did dislike to be kept waiting after all. A childish trait for someone with his personality, but Zero still couldn't help finding it somewhat endearing.

Before he could set off for the academy's main gates however, the silver-haired teen caught sight of someone he least expected to meet at this time of the day – and at the Day Class girls' dorms of all places too.

"Kaname?" Zero uttered the name, stopping in his tracks for one bewildered second before moving forward and towards the pureblood vampire anew. "What are you doing here?" But then the young hunter remembered where he was and it dawned on him. Of course. It had been a stupid question to ask. The answer was obvious after all. "Came to visit Yuuki?"

_'Not quite,' _was what immediately sounded in Kaname's mind. But he chose to keep it to himself and merely gave Zero his usual gentle smile and replied instead, "Yes. And what about you, Zero-kun? Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah. On a mission. With Ichiru."

Kaname's smile faltered slightly. "I see…When will the two of you be back?"

"This evening. So I'll see you again at dinner tonight," Zero said, but then asked to make sure, "You _are_ coming, right?" It was something like a tradition by now, so Zero naturally assumed that Kaname would be joining them. But who knew, maybe the pureblood was busy this time around? These past days he had seemed that way after all. "I'm going to cook some of your favorites tonight."

And Kaname's smile returned, his burgundy eyes lighting up almost imperceptibly. With a soft chuckle, the pureblood said, "Yes, I am coming. How can I let your efforts go to waste?"

"Thanks," Zero answered with a chuckle of his own. He was about to bid his farewell and get going – he knew Ichiru was very well running out of patience already, he could almost feel it with his own skin. But then a thought crossed his mind all of a sudden and Zero added, "Oh, and don't forget to tell _Yuuki _that youwill be dining with us tonight, okay?"

Kaname's brows drew together in a mild frown as their owner tilted his head slightly to the side for a few seconds of contemplation. Then the brunet asked, "Is it just me or you do want to use me as some kind of…um, _bait_, Zero-kun?"

"It's not just you," the hunter replied without any hesitation, his smile never faltering.

"Now I am hurt."

Zero couldn't hold back a hearty chuckle at the mock pout that made its way on Kaname's features. Strangely enough, it actually looked sort of _endearing_ to him. "Well, you do make a nice bait. And don't you even try to pretend that you don't already know that yourself."

Kaname certainly did. But that was actually the first time he wasn't repulsed to be used in such a way. _And _the first time it was done for such an innocent purpose without any kind of evil intention behind it.

The pureblood let out a chuckle. "It's at times like this that I truly realize that you and Ichiru-kun _are _twins after all."

"Oh? Our appearance isn't enough to prove that?"

Kaname's amused smile turned indulgent as he spoke next, "The two of you are completely different, Zero-kun."

Amethyst eyes widened a fraction. Zero didn't know why, but for some reason an unfamiliar to him kind of warmth spread in his chest at the brunet vampire's expression.

It perplexed him, that warmth, and he was curious about it, but soon it faded away, so Zero decided to dismiss it – at least for now.

Instead, smiling softly, the silver-haired teen replied, "When we were very little even our parents couldn't tell us apart sometimes. You should've seen us back then."

Kaname had. Just once, a long time ago, but he had seen the twins when they had been only kids. Although he was the only one who knew that little detail of his life.

So he replied, "I wish I had." And he really did. He wished he had seen more of Zero at that age.

A companionable silence followed.

But then Kaname remembered something – at long last. The reason he had been looking for Zero…Or should he say 'excuse'?

"Zero-kun, here," the brunet started, diving into a pocket of his white pants to retrieve a small glass vessel filled with dark-red liquid. "I believe it would be better if I give this to you now, just as a precaution."

"Oh…" was all that left Zero's mouth as he automatically accepted the vessel. He gave it a long, thoughtful look, then returned his gaze to the pureblood. "Thank you, Kaname," he added with a small, a bit uneasy smile. Grateful as he was, Zero still felt positively uncomfortable about the situation. But if it did put Kaname's mind at ease…

Then Zero remembered something. A certain conversation he had had some time ago with one Ichijou Takuma.

He gave the small glass object in his hand another long, contemplative look, this one with a hint of doubt in it.

After a few hesitant moments, he looked up. "Listen, Kaname, there is something I…" Zero tried to start a conversation that had been on his mind for some time now. But as he continued looking at the brunet vampire before him, he faltered.

A faint frown marred Kaname's handsome features. He already parted his lips to ask what was wrong when another soft, beautiful smile spread over Zero's face and, shaking his head lightly, the younger teen said, "No, never mind…I'll be going now. Ichiru is waiting."

He was about to turn and walk away, but Kaname's voice that sounded next stopped him.

"Shall I…" the pureblood started hesitantly, feeling somewhat anxious all of a sudden. After a few uneasy seconds, he spoke again, "Shall I send someone with you?"

Zero's brows rose. "You mean one of your vamps?"

Kaname nodded.

"Going on a hunt."

Another nod.

"With me and Ichiru."

And another nod.

Zero blinked. Then he chuckled.

Kaname's brows furrowed for a moment at the clear amusement in the other's amethyst orbs.

"You do realize that what you are suggesting to me right now is kind of insulting to any hunter, right?" And even saying that, Zero couldn't help the fond smile that came to his lips.

Garnet eyes widened in realization. _'Oh…'_

He hadn't really looked at his proposal from that angle. "I…suppose I do." He did _now_, anyway. And he was internally kicking himself for his _endless _– albeit uncharacteristic – stupidity _yet again_. "I'm sorry, Zero-kun. I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's okay," Zero interrupted the pureblood before he could say anything further. His fond smile grew some more and he added, "I know you meant well. Thank you, Kaname. Really." _For everything…_

Kaname didn't say anything but only gave a small nod in response, smiling warmly.

"I'm off then," Zero said next, turning to leave. "See you later, Kaname."

"Of course," the brunet replied, "I look forward to it, Zero-kun."

And with one last nod and a smile, the hunter left.

**-o- **

For some reason that he couldn't even begin to comprehend, Zero had a really bad feeling about his current surroundings.

He knew he was alone – his hunter senses told him that. And yet he felt as though…

He felt as though they were lying to him, as though they were mistaken for probably the first time in his life, as though there _was _someone out there, slowly circling around him, but he just couldn't catch sight them. And it made him feel _extremely _uneasy and way too vulnerable for his liking. Not to mention gave him the creeps.

And the fact that he was all alone in this dark alleyway, with no idea whatsoever as to where his other half was, hardly helped to ease his building anxiety.

He _really_ needed to hurry up and get this mission over and done with, find Ichiru and-

Zero stopped dead in his tracks, his hand was on his Bloody Rose in an instant. He had found him, the last one. But…

Silver eyebrows drew together in a puzzled frown.

It wasn't that Level E vampire who was the reason for Zero's uneasiness. He could tell. Which meant that…

_There was someone else. But…_

_'Where…?' _

Before Zero could ponder on the matter further, his attention was captured by a quick movement to his right. He tried to see the source of it, but it was too dark for his eyes to discern much.

Zero's grip on his gun involuntarily tightened. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he moved forward and into the shadows to pursue his target. Which he caught sight of soon enough, but before he could take aim and shoot, the vampire disappeared.

The teen still sensed him though, so he could tell where he needed to go in order to find him. And so he set off.

After turning a number of corners, Zero finally saw the silhouette of the one he was chasing. However, once again, the Level E slipped away from view by entering one of the abandoned buildings.

Zero followed. His hunter instincts told him to go to the upper floors and he did, finding his prey in one of the many rooms on the top floor. He aimed and took a shot at the vampire, but missed. Then he tried a second time, and a third, but none of those attempts was successful.

Zero's suspicion grew.

Something was amiss. It didn't feel right. That _Level E_ didn't feel right. His movements were too fluid and precise, he seemed to _know _what he was doing and he didn't look crazed _at all_ in spite of his glowing red eyes and wildly disheveled appearance.

_How was it possible…? _

Before Zero could try again, the vampire ran to the other side of the room and jumped out of a broken window, leaving the silver-haired teen's sight once more.

Cursing under his breath, Zero hurried towards the window, only to see the Level E disappear around the corner of another building. Immediately, Zero turned around and headed out of the room and down the stairs. Guided by his hunter senses, he ran out of the building and after the vampire. He didn't see his target, but it didn't matter – he could tell where the other was anyway.

So he kept running, only occasionally stopping to make sure that he was going the right way.

He was getting closer – slowly but surely. Just a bit more and…

Abruptly, Zero stopped, his amethyst eyes widening.

He had found the Level E, alright. He was inside another abandoned house. And not only him, but also…

_'Ichiru…' _

His twin was there. He knew for sure. Ichiru's aura was the most familiar to him and he would never mistake it for anyone else's.

So Zero moved forward and entered the building without a second thought – even if he really, _really _didn't want to. Somehow, the place sent cold shivers down his spine.

But he disregarded his uneasiness and kept going, set on completing his mission, finding his counterpart and finally heading back home – the sooner the better.

The teen came to a halt somewhere on the third floor. He looked around, but finding no one in the long, wide hallway, he slowly proceeded to check the rooms. His muscles involuntarily tensed, his fingers tightened around his gun.

After what seemed like a very long while, Zero found what he was looking for.

Or so he thought. Because what he saw next definitely wasn't what he had expected to see...

Lavender eyes widened in surprise. "Kaname?" _What in the world…_

Zero was about to move forward, but he stopped dead in his tracks the next second.

_'No,' _the teen thought, _'wrong.' _It wasn't him. It wasn't Kaname. He did look like him – a lot, especially in the dark. But it definitely wasn't him. He didn't…_feel _like him too…not in the slightest.

Zero's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" he asked quietly next.

There was a low chuckle. Then a voice sounded. It was unfamiliar to him without a doubt, but for some reason Zero felt as though he had already heard it somewhere before...

"It has been a while, hasn't it…? Little hunter…"

**-o- **

He had been in the greatest of moods when he had only arrived at the Cross residence earlier in the evening – he had been secretly looking forward to that particular part of his day so much, after all.

Zero still hadn't returned when he had come, but Kaname could wait. And Yuuki had been there to keep him company too, so he had been alright.

But after some time he had started to feel uneasy.

After some more time that uneasiness turned to worry.

And by now that worry had morphed into a full-blown quiet panic.

He _knew_ he should have sent someone to follow them. So what if Zero would have sensed them? They would have thought of something. For their own sake, they would have come up with some excuse – and a _very _plausible one at that, if they didn't want to face one of his punishments.

Or better yet, he should have gone after the two himself – they wouldn't have even noticed him, not even Zero. That way the twins would have returned already, Zero would have been safely at home and Kaname himself wouldn't have had to go through…_this_…

How could he have been so careless? How _could _he have let his guard down just like that…? Just because Shiki was quietly going about his business in the Moon Dormitory under his supervision didn't mean that the ones Kaname cared about were safe. His 'uncle' could always find another way to get to them – he wasn't an ordinary vampire, after all. Kaname knew that. He knew that all too well. So _why _on earth hadn't he taken it all into consideration and just…

_Because he hadn't thought that the other was strong enough to take any action already…He had been too naïve… _

_'Where are they…?' _kept going through the pureblood's mind.

What had happened to them? To _him_…? What _was _happening to him at this very instant…? Was he alright? Was he unhurt? Was he-

"Kaname," one Ichijou Takuma's concerned voice brought the pureblood back from his agitated thoughts, "please calm down. I am certain everything is alright. They are just running a bit late. There is no reason to get so worried over such a trivial thing."

Burning crimson eyes made the blond vampire's form go completely rigid as they turned their attention to him the next second. There was an impossibly loud crack followed by the sound of shattering glass that came from behind Ichijou. The blond wasn't sure what exactly it was that got broken, but he hardly cared either way, simply glad that it wasn't his head.

An oppressive silence descended over the room for what felt like an eternity as those vivid, blood-filled orbs continued to regard him darkly. The noble was unable to breathe – he was too scared to. But then, at long last…

Kaname turned away from his childhood friend with a low growl, violent red leaving burgundy eyes to let them return to their original color. It was only then that Ichijou actually resumed breathing properly – more or less so.

After another minute of tense silence, the blond vampire risked speaking up again.

"My apologies, Kaname-sama," Ichijou said with a stiff bow before continuing, "I just don't see why anyone would-"

"It's not _just _anyone, Takuma…"

A faint frown creased the noble's forehead for one confused moment. Then it dawned on him and his emerald eyes widened in disbelief.

"You don't mean-"

Kaname did. The look on his face told the noble that.

Still, Ichijou _really _wanted to be optimistic, even if the hope in him was slowly but surely dying. "You don't know that for sure…" He tried to offer a reassuring smile, but failed miserably. Not that it would have helped Kaname's case anyway.

"I do know," the pureblood said without a hint of doubt in his voice. He _did _know. He felt it with every single fiber of his being.

"But…why would he…?" Ichijou trailed off, unable to finish his question. Guilt-filled garnet eyes prevented him from doing that.

"You know _why_, Takuma…better than anyone else…"

The noble didn't say anything. He couldn't.

The tense silence returned, now more unpleasant than ever.

Once again, it was the younger vampire who nervously broke it, "Does Headmaster Cross know where they were sent?"

"No," the brunet replied quietly, his fingers curling into a tight fist, "He said Zero-kun and Ichiru-kun never tell him any details about their missions."

Ichijou waited a couple of tense seconds before asking apprehensively, "What are you going to do?"

For one very long moment there was no response from the pureblood. Then, turning his gaze towards the window, Kaname said, "I wish to be left alone."

Ichijou opened his mouth to offer something in reply, but then thought the better of it and kept quiet. He stayed where he was for a few moments, uncertain, but then wordlessly gave a small bow and left the room.

Kaname stood staring somewhere into the distance unblinkingly for a long minute.

Then he closed his eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. His clenched fist uncurled and his body slowly began to relax.

And the next moment he dissolved into a flock of tiny black bats that flew out of the room's window and away from the Cross Academy.


	19. Cold Slumber

_**A/N: **__And I'm back again with a new chapter :) I managed to finish it much, _much _earlier than I had expected, but unfortunately I can't promise that I'll be able to do the same with the next one, even though I _really _want to *sighs* I still have my finals, so I _have to _concentrate on them *sighs again* _

_But anyway! Thank you all for your favs and alerts and, of course, for all your amazing reviews! They made me really happy and gave me one _huge _boost of inspiration and confidence here *nods contently* _

_As always, disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine._

_And so without further ado…Please enjoy! :D _

**Chapter 19: Cold Slumber**

_There was nothing but numb, empty darkness around him._

_He couldn't move a single muscle in his impossibly heavy and unbearably tired for some reason body._

_He couldn't see anything because, somehow, he couldn't open his eyes no matter how hard he tried. He actually doubted he could breathe properly, but strangely enough, it wasn't the most unsettling thing to him at the moment._

_He couldn't hear anything and he couldn't _feel _anything with any part of his body, which made the whole situation that much more disturbing and, if he was honest with himself, scarier for him._

_He didn't know what was going on and how much time he had spent in his current condition. He wasn't even certain whether he was awake or not. But one thing he knew for sure – something that never failed to bring undeniable comfort to him. And that something was the simple fact that…_

His brother was with him...

_Ichiru could sense him, he could sense his warm presence right by his side, enfolding him protectively like it _always _did at Zero's unconscious will._

_It was actually the only thing Ichiru _could _sense at all. And he was thankful for that. But…_

Something was wrong.

_Something was bothering his other half, causing him deep distress and quiet panic._

_Even in his current condition, Ichiru could tell – he could always tell when it came to Zero, for he felt his twin on a level no one else did or would ever be able to._

_What exactly was causing his counterpart so much anguish, however, Ichiru didn't- _

_Then he felt it. An unpleasant, slowly – _painfully slowly _– spreading coldness. He didn't know where it had come from or what it meant. But he hardly cared anyway, because the only thing that mattered was the fact that…_

His twin was agitated terribly by it, afraid of it – bordering on terrified.

_Why, Ichiru didn't know. But that, too, didn't matter. All he needed to know was that it made his other half too_ _distressed for his liking, and everything else was nothing but unimportant details. Ichiru already knew what he had to do even without those. But before that…_

_He needed to _wake up.

**-o-**

"Ichiru…" Zero breathed out in a barely audible voice as he reached out to brush his counterpart's cheek carefully. The moment he touched Ichiru's skin, however, he went rigid, his amethyst eyes widening in horror.

_It was so cold…_

His hands now trembling, Zero cupped Ichiru's cheeks tentatively, hoping that what he had felt but a mere second ago was nothing more than his nervous mind playing tricks on him.

Alas, his hopes were crushed in an instant.

_So cold…_

"Ichiru…!" Zero tried again, his voice now louder with increasing worry and fear. But just like the last time, no response followed.

_So cold and pale and…lifeless…_

Ichiru wasn't like that – he _couldn't _be. No matter what others thought of him and in spite of his character, Ichiru was always…_warm_. He was warm and alive and full of energy – albeit a lazy kind of one – and mischievousness. He wasn't this…cold and lifelessly still soundlessly breathing _frozen corpse_...

"Ichiru…" Zero called yet again, unconsciously stroking his other half's cheeks with his thumbs before looking over Ichiru's bound with some weird dark substance form. For a moment there, he actually thought it was somewhat _alive_. And it was then that he realized he must be really losing it.

Zero's worried gaze returned to Ichiru's face. Then, slowly, his hands slid down from Ichiru's cheeks to rest on his neck. And Zero _listened_.

He didn't realize he had stopped breathing until he exhaled shakily after a few unbearably long moments. He almost felt light-headed from an immediate rush of relief that came the moment he felt steady – albeit a bit too slow for his liking – beats.

"It is extremely rude to ignore someone like that, little hunter," came a voice from behind, still as foreign as before, but the manner and the tone it spoke in couldn't seem more familiar – and _not _in a nice way. Zero already had a sneaking suspicion as to where he had heard it before, but he couldn't be sure. "Any other vampire of my standing would be greatly offended when met with such disrespectful treatment."

The words were answered with silence. Zero never even shifted his attention from Ichiru, only continuing to stare at his twin unwaveringly.

The silence lengthened. Then a deep sigh came.

"You shouldn't worry so much, little hunter," the dark-haired pureblood – and Zero could tell for sure that the man _was _one – said as he shifted behind him. "He is merely asleep."

It was only then that Zero turned his gaze to the brunet male, regarding him with a suspicious sidelong look. "Why won't he wake up then?"

The pureblood made himself comfortable on one of the chairs behind a table that Zero only now noticed was in the dark room. A slow smirk spread over the man's flawless face as he gave his languid reply, "Why, because _I _wouldn't let him, of course…"

"And why wouldn't you?"

"Because it would be troublesome if he were awake. _And _I would have no leverage that way, wouldn't you agree?" His expression and tone turned condescending then. "Honestly, why all these meaningless questions? You are a smart boy. You already know all the answers."

There was a long moment of silence before Zero spoke again, "Why are we here?"

"Why do you think?" the other replied, tilting his head slightly to the side with a playful smirk on his lips.

Zero took a few seconds to regard the brunet vampire thoughtfully before offering his opinion, "For your amusement." Because that was probably the only reason the man kept visiting him from time to time. Or such was the impression he gave, at the very least. Like a bored child that just wanted to have some fun by pushing the buttons of the people around him. He actually reminded Zero of Ichiru a bit in that regard. But while Zero found that…_trait_ of his twin's somewhat endearing, he couldn't say the same about the man before him.

The brunet vampire threw his head back and let out an almost hearty laugh in response.

Then, having calmed down, he spoke again after a few more moments, "See? You don't need to ask anything!" He got up, his movements swift but remarkably graceful. For some unknown to Zero reason, the man looked extremely pleased with himself as, spreading his arms in a dramatic manner, he continued, "As I have said, you already know all the answers, little hunter. However…" The pureblood moved closer to him, and it was only then that Zero fully turned to face him, instinctively shielding Ichiru with his body, his hand already resting on his Bloody Rose gun.

Unfazed – rather amused, actually – by Zero's obvious wariness of him, the dark-haired pureblood only chuckled before resuming speaking, "There is that one answer you cannot just guess with that sharp mind of yours, and I have been denying it to you for quite some time now…"

The man was a little less than a meter away from Zero when he stopped in his tracks. It was only then that the hunter noticed the other's eyes were different in color – one garnet, and one blue. He couldn't see that from a distance before, as it was too dark, but now, up-close, that little detail was hard to miss. For a second there, the teen couldn't help but be somewhat transfixed by those unusual eyes.

Dark merriment never leaving him, the vampire asked, "Wouldn't you just _love _to _finally_ find out?"

There was a very long moment of tense silence as Zero regarded the one before him uncertainly.

Then he asked, "Who _are_ you?"

The vampire's smile widened. For some reason, Zero couldn't help the random thought that it was probably somehow naturally dark, that smile.

"Kuran Rido," came the pureblood's answer.

Amethyst eyes widened.

"Why so surprised, little hunter?" Rido asked amusedly in response to Zero's wordless reaction. "There _is _an uncanny resemblance, isn't there? Between Kaname and I…"

With an unconscious small nod, Zero replied quietly, "...Yes..." He couldn't really deny something that was so painfully obvious. But…

"And no..."

An elegant dark eyebrow rose in evident amusement. "How so?"

The feeling this man was giving off, the atmosphere around him – they couldn't be more different from Kaname's.

"You…" Zero started, his eyes lowering thoughtfully for a long second, "You don't feel alike at all."

"Oh?" A snort of laughter, then the pureblood unhurriedly turned around and moved away. Zero couldn't help the involuntary sigh of relief that he unknowingly let out at that moment. His tense shoulders dropped a bit as well. "And what _do _I feel like, pray tell?"

There was a moment's hesitation before Zero all but blurted out, "Like a mayhem of bloodthirsty madness."

Which evoked a reaction the teen certainly didn't expect.

Rido burst into laughter.

Then, having calmed down, the brunet man turned to face Zero once more and asked, "So you think I am mad?"

Zero gave Rido a long, searching look before giving his reply.

"No," he uttered thoughtfully – an answer that caused Rido's eyes to narrow with mirth and his smirk to widen yet again.

"Is that so?"

In response to the pureblood's nonchalantly spoken question, Zero only gave a silent nod.

There was a chuckle. Then Rido's voice sounded again, "Why are you so terrified of me then?"

"…It's hard not to be."

Another snort of laughter, the dark self-satisfied smirk never leaving the pureblood's features. "I see," was all he offered in reply. When he reached the table, he turned to Zero again and, putting his hand on the closest to him chair, resumed speaking, "_Now_…come here and sit with me, little hunter. I would like to have a little chat with you."

"…No."

Rido tilted his head slightly to the side with a fake innocent expression on his face as he asked, "Why not?"

"I'm perfectly fine where I am," Zero shot back without hesitation. "Let Ichiru go."

"_No_," Rido gave in reply playfully with a wide mocking smile. "_But _if you agree to be a good boy and _listen _to my very polite request, I may consider granting your wish."

Zero pressed his lips into a thin line, stubbornly refusing to move from where he was. Then, after a few long moments, he complied and slowly proceeded towards the vampire before him, but not without taking another worried look at his twin over his shoulder.

"Calm down, little hunter," Rido spoke again as he watched Zero amusedly, having already made himself comfortable in his chair behind the table. "As I have said, your dear brother is all well and unharmed. I merely…_coaxed _him into a _good long rest_."

Zero regarded Rido with a suspicious look before sitting down reluctantly. "He doesn't look like he was 'coaxed' into anything."

"Well, that is beyond the point," Rido replied with an elegant dismissive wave of his hand. "It's all just minor details. The fact remains that no harm was done to him, so quit worrying so much."

Zero arched an eyebrow but chose not to comment on the other's way of thinking.

"What do you want now?" the hunter inquired instead.

"Unfriendly as ever, aren't you? Why can't you try and treat me the way you do Kaname and all the others at least once?"

"You aren't exactly 'Kaname and all the others'."

"How judgmental. I'm hurt," Rido replied with a mock sad expression and a dramatic gesture of putting his hand over his heart.

Zero's brow twitched. It had been so long since their last encounter he had forgotten how exasperating the man's antics could be.

Unimpressed, Zero repeated his question, "What do you want?"

Rido's smirk slowly returned, he tilted his head to the side a bit and, once again, responded with a question of his own, "What _do _I usually do when we meet?"

Zero blinked. He lowered his gaze thoughtfully for a couple of moments before returning it to the man sitting in front of him and replying, albeit a bit uncertainly, "Talk…?" Sometimes too much and often quite randomly.

There was a chuckle. "Why so unsure, little hunter?"

Because he could never be sure when it came to _this _man.

But Zero kept the thought to himself and only gave a light shrug of his shoulders in response before continuing, "You could have come the way you usually do. Why do all this? Why even drag _Ichiru _into it?"

"Well, we _would _have met at some point in time anyway," Rido replied with his ever-present smirk and a casual shrug of his own. "Seeing how…_close_…you are to my remaining family. And besides…" The smirk slowly grew wider, turning more darkly playful now as the man got up and moved to another end of the dark room. "Don't you think that it was getting a bit old? There was no thrilling element of surprise anymore in our encounters!" He turned around with his arms spread theatrically. "So you should really be flattered that I took the time out of my busy schedule and actually learned this little trick of going under your exceptional hunter radar just to surprise you!"

Having received nothing but skeptical look in response, Rido continued with a low chuckle, "Alright, maybe I learned it for my own benefit as well. But it is true that I was rather…_curious_ to see your reaction."

Well, that Zero certainly could believe – it seemed to be more like the vampire before him. And he didn't mean it in a good way.

"And as for your beloved twin…" Rido spoke again, returning to his seat with…

Zero blinked.

With a _wineglass_…? Where did that even come from?

"He is only here to help me get what I want."

Zero's attention returned to Rido after being captured for a few moments by the out of place glass. "Which is?"

The smirk widened yet again. Outstretching his hand towards Zero, Rido said, "Give me your hand, palm up."

A brief frown crossed Zero's brow at the weird request, his eyes automatically going to the awaiting pale palm before him. The teen looked up with a questioning look on his face only to be met with an expectant one.

Silence between the two stretched as they continued staring at each other wordlessly. But then the corners of Rido's lips slowly went up and his unusual eyes flickered across the room to Ichiru for one short but _very _meaningful moment.

Involuntarily, Zero tensed, and before he knew it, he was complying with the pureblood's odd request.

"Good boy," Rido said in mock approval as he seized Zero's wrist and pulled it towards himself to place it above the empty wineglass. "Now hold still," he continued, putting the forefinger of his other hand to Zero's palm, "this won't hurt a bit." And he pressed _hard_, his suddenly thick and sharpened nail cutting into Zero's skin and drawing blood.

The teen winced, automatically trying to pull his hand out of the other's firm hold. Needless to say, the attempt turned out to be completely futile, as Rido only tightened his fingers around Zero's wrist and turned it slightly to have the blood slide into his awaiting glass.

"Shh, calm down, little hunter," the pureblood said in a quiet, silky and almost _soothing _voice, his now burning with vivid red eyes trained on Zero, almost hypnotizing him. "I won't take _too_ much. Just enough to satisfy my hunger for the time being…."

_'And _just _enough to drive poor little Kaname crazy with anger and unbidden jealousy,' _Rido mentally added to himself with an inner chuckle of dark amusement. _'Oh, how much fun _that _will be…'_

"You don't mind helping a poor _starved_ pureblood vampire …now, do you…?" the dark-haired man spoke again with an almost imploring look – fake as it was.

Zero didn't reply, but skepticism and reluctance were evident on his face.

Rido's smirk returned with a small snort of laughter. "Then again, if you _really _don't like it, I could always find _another _source of blood…" Again, his eyes shifted to Ichiru for another short yet very meaningful moment. "One that I _can _actually _bite into_…"

And again, the trick worked perfectly. Zero sat still without even trying to get his now injured hand back.

Silence descended over the room, only occasionally interrupted by the sound of the dripping blood.

When the glass was about a third full, Rido's voice sounded once more, "You know, you really should be grateful to me, little hunter."

A puzzled frown came to Zero's features for a moment. Then he asked, "For what?"

Rido gave him an almost lazy dark smile before replying languidly, "For being kind and considerate enough not to bite you. I could easily do it. And I would _love _every second of it."

"…Why not just do it then?" Zero inquired, his curiosity overpowering his apprehension.

The pureblood gave him a long, intent look before actually replying, "Because seeing you unknowingly _torture _my dear nephew every day of his pureblood life is just too much fun to give up."

Another puzzled frown, this time coupled with a clearly questioning look.

But Rido only offered an enigmatic smile as his silent response, choosing not to satisfy Zero's curiosity this time around.

**-o-**

For what seemed like an excruciatinglylong while now, Kaname had been searching – blindly and unsuccessfully.

He didn't know where he was going and where he _needed _to go. He had no idea _where _to look, and yet that was what he was doing, because he couldn't stay put and do nothing. So he searched.

And searched.

And searched, his tortured mind racing with panic.

He had sent every single one of his black bat familiars in different directions, spreading his senses as far as he could, but it didn't help.

He tried to think rationally and get into Rido's twisted mind to _at least _come up with a guess – any kind of possibly correct guess, really.

He was going as fast as he could. He was searching as hard as he could. And he was thinking as fast and as hard as he could.

But nothing seemed to help. No matter what Kaname tried, he came up empty-handed.

So, silently desperate by now, he could do nothing but continue to _try_…

Kaname had never felt so pathetically terrified and useless before in his entire life.

**-o-**

_Still in his disturbing numb state, Ichiru couldn't feel it, but he was sure his heart started speeding up with involuntary excitement and thirst. Just like he was sure that his nostrils had flared up and his eyes were burning with ravenous red underneath his unmoving eyelids._

_There was a smell – a very familiar one. At first it was very faint, but as seconds slowly ticked by, it became stronger and all the more unmistakable to Ichiru._

_He knew it. He knew it better than any other, and he loved it just as much. _

'Nii-san…'_ Ichiru heard himself call in his head. _

_It was his blood. It was _Zero's _blood…_

_Coldness inside Ichiru spread and intensified with the help of a suddenly surging thirst._

_But then, followed by initial uncontrollable excitement, came the frightening realization. _

His brother was bleeding…

_Zero was now bleeding and still as distressed as before. _

_Which made Ichiru _that _much more anxious and increasingly agitated._

There was a dangerous growl in his head.

'Wake up,' _sounded in Ichiru's mind in a voice that he barely recognized as his own. It sent a violent shudder through him, and it was then that Ichiru realized his lost senses had started to slowly return to him. _

_But that coldness continued to spread further as well, and the hunger started going deeper..._

'Wake up,' _sounded in his head again, this time louder, and Ichiru thought the voice was even harder to recognize as his own this time around. But it felt as though it had gotten closer…_

_Once again, Ichiru tried to get himself out of his current weird state of almost complete numbness. _

_But just like every other one of his attempts, this one wasn't very successful as well._

_His failure was met with an angry roar. _

_The coldness spread further and seeped into his being deeper. _

_Another growl. _'Wake up…!'

_Another roar. _'Wake up!'

_Another violent shudder racked Ichiru's body, this one far more palpable. _

_Over and over again, he kept trying, with the voice never leaving his mind at peace. _

_But then, all of a sudden, it got awfully quiet. _

_The coldness froze in its movements. _

_The darkness of Ichiru's current world thickened. _

_For what seemed like a very long while, everything went still. _

_But then there was a subtle _shift_, a barely noticeable _change_…_

_And the silence was disturbed by what sounded like a _crack _of a glass. _

_The coldness shifted. _

_Another crack resounded in Ichiru's mind, followed by another one, and another one. _

_The coldness crept closer. _

_There was another turn of cracks. _

_And after a long breathless while…_

'Wake up.'

_The voice returned, calmer and quieter, but much, much closer. It felt as though it was a part of him now. _

The glass started to shatter.

_The coldness rushed through before starting to settle in. Every cell in his being was suddenly in motion. _

_The numbness slowly retreated. _

_The darkness and coldness merged with him. The glass disappeared altogether. _

_There was another growl, this time a soft and darkly pleased one. But the voice never came – it didn't need to. _

_Once again, Ichiru tried to leave his prison._

'Nii-san…'

_Something new in his being pushed him _further _in response to the unconscious thought of his twin. His bloodlust flared, his awareness started to return, seemingly more keen than ever. _

Ichiru's fingers twitched.

**-o- **

Zero blinked, his eyelids feeling heavy all of a sudden. His unfocused gaze shifted to one of his hands, unwittingly mesmerized by the dark crimson on his moonlit pale skin. He thought he noticed a slight tremble in his fingers, but he couldn't be sure. Nor could he concentrate on it for long enough to tell.

Zero blinked again, a faint frown coming to his features. His mind was getting a bit more confused and unfocused with every passing moment.

Then he shifted his gaze to his other hand – the one that was still captured. He saw his bloodied palm, then his bleeding wrist. Distractedly, amethyst eyes followed the crimson drops as they fell into a small dark-red sea in a wineglass.

For a moment it made a weak wave of sickness wash through him all of a sudden.

Then he somehow realized how cold the tips of his fingers started to feel.

And the coldness seemed to be slowly spreading further.

"You seem awfully pale…Are you alright, little hunter?"

Another blink. Then Zero's now cleared eyes went up to look at the owner of the voice that had pulled him out of his daze.

There was a chuckle. Then the brunet man spoke again, "Of course you are not. That was a rather foolish thing to ask, wasn't it?"

Mentally, Zero gave an absent-minded nod. Outwardly, he stayed silent and didn't show any reaction.

Then the teen lowered his amethyst eyes back to his pale fingers. He thought they felt a bit colder now.

_'Ichiru…' _Zero thought absently. He wanted to turn his head to look over his shoulder at his twin, but the task somehow seemed awfully difficult to him at that moment.

_He felt so tired… _

_'Ichiru…' _

"Oh, he is quite alright in his peaceful slumber," sounded Rido's voice then, and Zero's eyes widened. He hadn't realized he had uttered his twin's name out loud.

When now bleary amethyst orbs returned their attention to him, the pureblood continued, his darkly content smile never leaving his features. "You have nothing to worry about."

Internally, Zero scoffed.

_'You just don't know Ichiru,' _he couldn't help but think to himself with a mental shake of his head. He couldn't '_not _worry' about his twin. It was simply beyond his capabilities – especially so in their current situation. Because Zero…

Lavender eyes cleared anew then, everything around their owner stilled.

_He couldn't even protect him now…_

Zero's heart stopped and froze in his chest for a long moment at the _very _belated realization.

_He couldn't even protect his other half properly now…He couldn't protect Ichiru… _

The coldness went deeper, now joined by numbness. Both were spreading through his tired body.

Zero's gaze involuntarily went to yet another drop as it joined the small sea of his blood in the wineglass. Somehow the sound of its fall seemed awfully loud to his ears.

_How could he have been so foolishly _naïve_…? _

**-o- **

_He was regaining his senses._

_He could feel his fingers now, and he was finally starting to feel all the other parts of his numb body. He was growing more and more aware of his surroundings. His consciousness was slowly returning to him. And one of the first things he realized was…_

'The blood…'

_There was too much of it. There was _too much _of Zero's blood in the air…_

_Ichiru had known his counterpart was bleeding since a while ago, but such amount just _wasn't normal_._

_He could tell Zero was calmer now – he felt almost placid. But it wasn't a nice kind of 'placid' – on the contrary, it disturbed Ichiru greatly, for it felt as though his other half was…_

Fading away from him…

_Ichiru_ really_ needed_ _to wake up __**now**__. _

'Nii-san…' _was the only thing running through the teen's mind._

_He felt his fingers twitch again. Then, at long last…_

With another great effort, Ichiru finally got his eyes to slowly open.

**-o- **

Kaname stopped dead in his tracks.

He felt it. After another _very _long and _very _frustrating while of searching…he finally _felt it_…

It was so mild that it was barely detectable, but there was no doubt in Kaname's agitated mind. He would recognize _that _aura anywhere.

_'Zero-kun…' _the pureblood breathed out an internal sigh of relief, his distress almost completely forgotten.

_He had found him. He had _finally _found him… _

But his moment of peace and silent delight was short-lived, as it took Kaname only a second to remember what was going on.

He took a deep breath and recollected himself.

Then, concentrating all of his senses on one direction where he now knew he could find Zero, Kaname hurried there, faster and more determined than ever.

_He was close… _

**-o-**

Zero thought it was somehow funny in a sense that it took Rido only minutes to finish a drink that took what felt to him like _hours _to be…well, _made_.

He was feeling colder now, his weariness continuing to grow.

Amethyst eyes shifted from the wineglass that Rido emptied but seconds ago to the pureblood himself. He was saying something, but for some reason Zero couldn't quite make out what it was. He was sure he heard the man speak, but the words just couldn't settle and form full sentences in his head.

Zero blinked slowly.

Then again.

And again.

Still nothing. Only some parts he couldn't concentrate on for more than a second.

Zero couldn't feel his own blood on his skin anymore even though it was there. He knew he couldn't move his fingers and doubted that he would be able to fully control his body.

_It just felt so heavy…_

_Heavy and numb. _

And the coldness had reached his ribcage by now.

Zero blinked dazedly, taking in a deep breath sharply. He realized it was a bit harder than usual to do so.

His heart sped up of its own accord without any comprehensible to Zero reason. But the hunter didn't get to ponder on that since the next moment his attention was attracted by the pureblood vampire in front of him. His gaze followed Rido as the man got up from his chair and moved towards him.

Zero couldn't be sure, but he believed his body had involuntarily tensed when the pureblood stopped to stand behind him and then leaned closer to him.

"Poor little hunter…" Rido said in a low and falsely gentle voice, his hot breath tickling Zero's ear. "I _did _push you a bit too far…now, didn't I…?"

Quite frankly, Zero didn't have the energy to be sarcastic about the other's rhetorical question even in his mind.

So he stayed silent, merely staring into the distance with his dazed lavender eyes and waiting for Rido's next move.

He was really, _really _tired now…

Before Zero knew it, there was a cold hand on his neck. His head was tilted back to rest against a broad shoulder. The fingers on his neck curled a bit and Zero could feel four sharp nails ready to dig into his skin.

The teen took a deep, shuddering breath. His pulse raced further and his chest tightened with instinctive fear. Not for the first time in the last few hours, Zero tried to get his hand to move and take a hold of his Bloody Rose gun. Unfortunately for him, however, this particular attempt turned out to be the least successful one so far.

"Don't you worry, little hunter, you will be alright. I will take only a little bit more, and then everything will be over…" Rido spoke again as he placed his free arm around Zero, almost hugging him. Zero managed to turn his head just in time to lock gazes with Rido before the man continued with his usual darkly playful smirk, "Let's see if Kaname can make it in time to give you all of his precious blood, shall we?"

Cold fingers started to _press down_.

**-o- **

Kaname's chest filled with dread when, all of a sudden, a certain scent assaulted his heightened senses as he was blindly chasing Zero's familiar presence.

He knew that scent. He had gotten more than accustomed to it over the years. And he craved its _source _more than anything in the world.

Kaname's already burning with brilliant red eyes flashed brighter, his pounding heart speeding up further with instinctive hunger that was immediately followed by possessive rage.

An angry growl escaped the pureblood.

_He had to hurry…He needed to go _faster_… _

Kaname knew he was close, probably only minutes away from Zero, but it just _wasn't close __**enough**__… _

Another growl, more violent and impatient this time.

The smell of blood was getting thicker with every second, and Kaname's anxiety grew further – if that was even possible anymore. He could almost literally feel and _hear _his inner beast roar and snarl and claw at the walls of his mind in its raging madness.

_Just a bit more…He was almost there…almost- _

But then something else registered in Kaname's senses – something _entirely _different and unknown to the pureblood, for he had never felt anything like it before.

For a brief moment, Kaname halted, taken aback. But he was on the move again in less than a split second, now even more in a hurry than before.

He had no idea what that new presence was and he couldn't even imagine what or whom it could belong to, but one thing he _could _tell for sure.

_It was dangerous. _

_And it was hungry for blood… _

Kaname's heart raced in added horror.

_'Zero-kun…' _

**-o- **

Ichiru's eyes narrowed dangerously a second after adjusting to darkness and taking in the scene before them, any remaining lilac in them completely surrendering to violent crimson in an instant.

_'Kuran…' _the teen hissed hatefully to himself, his suddenly awakened vampire growling angrily in his head.

Ichiru's fingers twitched yet again, his nails lengthening, turning into claws without the teen's knowledge. His lips slowly parted to reveal elongated fangs.

_He was getting closer…_

Ichiru watched, transfixed and terrified, his insides going completely cold and his slowly freezing with dread heart beating faster and faster against his numb ribcage.

_He was getting closer, and Zero was doing _nothing _to stop him…even though he was _still_ extremely distressed and awfully afraid… _

Ichiru knew, he could _feel _it…

Heedless of his binds, the teen leaned forward.

He_ was getting _closer_, and Zero was going to _let _him do it… _

Ichiru's eyes widened, turning wild, vivid crimson in them darkened. His heartbeat quickened further and for a short while there, it felt like he was starting to hyperventilate. After another blink, everything before him stilled, turning red. And then…

He was suddenly in another part of the room, tearing into what he thought was Kuran Kaname's throat.


	20. Final Catalyst

_**A/N: **__And I'm finally here with this brand new chapter. Took me long enough, huh -_-; _

_I am really and truly sorry for taking so long to update! *bows low* Life has been hectic for the past few months, a lot has happened, which is why I couldn't really concentrate on writing. I actually planned to update over a month ago, but it was then that my life turned to absolute crap and I had to undergo some pretty serious changes, so my grand plans to finish this chapter and post an update went to hell along with every bit of inspiration and desire to do anything at all. So…yeah -_-;_

_But anyway! Now everything has more or less settled down and my mental state is good (much better than it was a month ago, at the very least). I graduated with flying colors and got my Diploma in the summer, and just recently I finally managed to get myself a job – my very first official job. Which means that starting next week I will get really busy, so I apologize in advance for most probably being very late with my next update as well. _

_Now with that said, thank you all for your favs, alerts and, of course, for your wonderful reviews – they totally made my days and were a real inspiration. Disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. _

_Once again, sorry for the long wait. But hey, at least this chapter is a little bit longer than usually ;D_

_And now without further ado…Hope you will enjoy reading! :D_

**Chapter 20: Final Catalyst**

_"Ichiru, you're here..." little Zero said upon entering his room and finding his twin there, in his bed. Yet again. Not that he minded in the least – on the contrary, it was actually somewhat comforting. _

_"Welcome back, nii-san," Ichiru greeted with a smile as he lifted his gaze from a book he was reading to his twin. "You're home early," he commented after taking a glance at a watch on a nightstand to his left. "Did something happen?" _

_"Kind of. Yagari-shishou was called out on a mission."_

_"Oh," was Ichiru's only response as he went back to reading his book. _

_"How are you feeling?" Zero asked then, his hand automatically going to Ichiru's forehead to feel for the younger boy's temperature. To his relief, it wasn't as high as it had been the day before. _

_"Fine," Ichiru replied distractedly, his attention still on the book in his lap. Then he added with a light shrug of his small shoulders, "Much better than yesterday, anyway." _

_"I see," Zero unconsciously released a quiet sigh of relief, a small smile already making its way on his lips. "That's great." _

_"Mm," Ichiru hummed absently in response as Zero left his side to get changed into his homewear._

_"What are you reading this time?" Zero asked after a short while, already finished with changing and now climbing into his bed to once again join his twin. "Another hunter spellbook?" It were mostly those books that Zero often found Ichiru reading. Unlike himself, his other half actually seemed rather fascinated by the subject. Which was probably the reason why he was so good at it even at his very young age. _

_Having to stay at home so often because of his fragile health, Ichiru had to find something to busy himself with while waiting for Zero's return from school or training. And that something ended up being books – and not just any books, but hunter books, especially spellbooks. _

_"No," came Ichiru's reply, "this one is about vampires." _

_Zero blinked. _'That's unusual...' _he thought. _

_With a thoughtful hum, Zero leaned closer to his counterpart to look at the book the other was so engrossed in. A frown crossed his features briefly as he spoke, "It seems to be a difficult one." _

_"It is. I don't quite get about a third of what it says," Ichiru answered, his brows furrowing as well and a small pout coming to his childish features. _

_Zero couldn't help but chuckle heartily at his brother's expression. It was just too adorable. _

_Lilac eyes locked with almost completely identical to them lavender ones, Ichiru's frown deepened and his pout grew. "Don't laugh! It's annoying not to understand when you read something!"_

_Another chuckle. Then Zero answered, "Sorry, sorry. I promise I won't laugh anymore." _

_"You're still doing it," Ichiru pointed out grumpily with a skeptically arched silver eyebrow._

_Zero chose to play innocent. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he asked, "Doing what?"_

_"Laughing at me." _

_"I am not."_

_"You very much _are_. I can tell, and you know that, nii-san." Sheer amusement twinkling in Zero's eyes couldn't be more evident to Ichiru. His beloved other half _was _making fun of him in his mind. _

_Zero couldn't hold back another chuckle before admitting, "Alright, maybe I am." _

_"Not 'maybe', you really are." And Ichiru's pout grew even more prominent, which only added to Zero's quiet amusement. Ichiru didn't miss that as well, but this time he didn't get to offer his displeased comment, as the next moment his counterpart patted his head affectionately with an openly adoring smile on his identical yet so different in Ichiru's eyes face, and the younger boy could do nothing but stare at his twin stupidly with a light blush of nervous embarrassment slowly spreading over his face. _

_After another few long seconds, Ichiru averted his gaze back to his book. Strangely enough, it didn't seem that interesting to him anymore, but he still chose to devote his undivided attention to it, for some unknown to him reason unable to bear to look his other half in the eye any longer. _

_Zero's smile widened and he let out another quiet chuckle before withdrawing his hand – an action Ichiru couldn't help but secretly protest against in his head – and speaking again, "Sorry. But that aside, why the sudden interest?" _

_"Huh?" Ichiru's gaze returned to Zero, now inquiring. _

_"In vampires," Zero replied, pointing at the book in Ichiru's hands. "It's not what you usually read." _

_"Oh...well..." Ichiru looked at the book once more, his lilac eyes turning thoughtful. Then, with a shrug, he continued, "I don't know. I just stumbled on it and got curious is all." _

_"I see." Zero smiled in understanding. "And I guess the fact that you're still reading it even though you don't fully get it means that it's interesting, right?" _

_Ichiru hummed thoughtfully before replying with a small nod, "Yeah. At least the parts that I do get are. Especially..." The little hunter flipped quite a few pages before finding what he was looking for. He pointed at a chapter heading and continued, "This one here. I liked it the most."_

_Zero blinked, reading the heading curiously. His eyebrows rose in mild surprise. "'Turned vampires'...?"_

_"Mm," Ichiru nodded._

_Zero turned his gaze back to his twin and tilted his head to the side with an inquiring look on his face. _

_Ichiru understood the wordless question and, smiling softly, he answered it, "It has much more information about them than what we've been given. And it's much more interesting and detailed. It also says how they differ from all the other kinds of vampires." _

_Zero only offered a small hum in response. Then his attention returned to the book anew and, unwittingly intrigued now, he started reading the chapter before he knew it. _

_A comfortable silence settled between the two boys. Zero continued reading, occasionally frowning at some still confusing and incomprehensible for someone his age words, while Ichiru only stared at the book in his lap, lost in his thoughts yet again._

_It was only a few minutes later that the younger boy decided to break the peaceful silence. _

_"Say, nii-san..."_

_"Hm?" _

_"If..." Ichiru faltered, his eyes lowering thoughtfully for a very long moment. _

_That got Zero's full attention. Turning his gaze away from the book and to his counterpart, the older boy asked with a soft smile, "What is it, Ichiru?"_

_"If I...were to ever turn into a vampire..." Zero's eyes widened at the sudden thought. Ichiru's apprehensive for some reason gaze locked with Zero's surprised one as the younger twin finished his question, "Would you still love me?"_

_Zero blinked in stunned surprise. Then he stared. And stared. And stared some more before blinking again._

_"Huh?" came from Zero at long last, his head tilting to the side a little._

_It wasn't very noticeable externally, but internally Ichiru's nervousness grew. Uncertain lilac eyes lowered briefly, the younger boy had to take in a deep breath before repeating his question, "If I turned into a vampire, would you still love me, nii-san?" _

_And all Zero could do was give yet another dumbfounded blink. But then he lowered his gaze in thought, a frown forming on his features._

_Ichiru could tell that his twin _was _thinking hard on his sudden question._

_Unsurprisingly though, it didn't take Zero long to figure out his answer._

_"Yeah," the older boy said with a nod as he lifted his head and locked gazes with his counterpart anew, "I would."_

_"Really?" Ichiru asked right away, leaning towards Zero a bit. His eyes were wide and bright with hope now – one that could be heard in his voice as well._

_Zero smiled and gave another nod, "Yeah, really." _

_Familiar gentle warmth filled Ichiru's small chest at Zero's response. Lilac eyes got brighter and a smile slowly spread over the younger boy's face. _

_To Ichiru it was one of the happiest moments in his life. _

**-o- **

A scream of pain filled the dark room as Ichiru tore into Rido's throat with his sharp, bloodthirsty fangs. It was soon followed by an angry growl and then by an almighty roar as the pureblood recovered from his initial shock caused by the unexpected assault.

Rido's nails transformed into sharp talons, fangs extended and eyes turned dangerous red. Now enraged, the pureblood tried to rip his assailant off of himself by tearing into his back and throwing him across the room, but the attempt failed, as Ichiru tightened his hold on his prey by thrusting his teeth deeper into the long pale neck while his own talons pierced the skin of Rido's chest and face, forcing the pureblood's head back for better access to his throat.

Another animalistic snarl followed.

Then Rido jerked backwards abruptly.

A muffled pained groan sounded from Ichiru as his back collided with a wall. The teen felt as though he was being crushed, yet he still refused to let go of his hateful prey.

Ichiru bit harder and drank deeper, his claws sinking further into the already torn flesh.

_He would kill him. He would _kill _Kuran._

A muffled growl sounded from Ichiru as the thoughts flashed through his still disordered mind. His burning eyes widened, wild pupils dilated.

_He would drain the life out of him and tear his lifeless corpse to shreds. _

A soft, almost purr-like growl sounded in the back of Ichiru's mind. _'Yess,' _it whispered darkly in his own voice, softly coaxing him into doing what his darker side had been secretly dying to do for some time now.

_'Do it,' _that same voice continued with growing eagerness. _'Get rid of this annoying nuisance once and for all.' _

Ichiru's pulse quickened in vicious excitement.

_'Kill him. Just kill him and…' _

There was a moment of absolute silence as that voice trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging. Everything in Ichiru stopped.

_'And we_ _will be free…' _

_Zero _would be free. At long last, he would be free of this annoying persistent leech that just didn't know when to quit and back the hell off.

With a vicious growl, Ichiru forced his claws and fangs deeper into the already mercilessly abused flesh.

_'He won't get it,' _Ichiru mentally told himself determinedly. _'This cunning bastard will _never _get what he wants. _I _won't allow it…' _

A low chuckle sounded in Ichiru's head, dark contentment was evident in the quiet voice that spoke next, _'Yes, that's right. We won't allow it. But…'_

_'But…?'_

_'…Will Zero forgive us?'_

Everything in Ichiru's being froze at the question. But it didn't take long for the teen to come to himself and answer, _'Of course he will. Why wouldn't he?'_

_'You know why. Don't pretend like you haven't noticed.'_

_'It's all just in my head. I'm being paranoid,' _Ichiru tried to convince both himself and the voice.

Alas, the attempt failed miserably.

_'And what if you're not?'_

_'…It wouldn't matter.'_

_'Oh? And why is that?'_

_'Because Zero would forgive me either way.'_

Ichiru could clearly hear a satisfied grin in the voice when it sounded in his mind again. _'Because he loves us…right?' _

_'…Yes…' _Ichiru mentally replied, a bit of tranquility slowly returning to his agitated mind. He couldn't help a small smile that found its way on his features – at least internally, it did. _'He does. He loves us more than anyone else in this world...' _

_And it would forever remain that way. _

The voice then retreated back to the recesses of Ichiru's mind, finally letting the teen himself return to reality.

Now determined, Ichiru was ready to launch another strike – a deadlier one this time around.

But he was a split second too late, as his prey had already recovered from its initial shock and now was ready to fight back after escaping its bloodthirsty hunter's lethal claws.

**-o- **

Zero's head slowly rolled to the side as he was lying on the cold floor teetering somewhere on the brink of inevitably approaching unconsciousness.

Hazy lavender eyes blinked, a frown made its way on the now pallid face. It took a few long seconds for his blurry vision to clear, and when it did, Zero's eyes widened in horror, his breath hitched and his heart raced in his frozen chest.

_'Ichiru…' _Zero tried to call out his twin's name, but no sound made it past his lips. He tried to move, but all he managed to do was a slight twitch of his fingers that he couldn't even feel.

Panic returned and started settling in once more – this one of different kind and far stronger and deeper than the one Zero had felt not so long before. His pulse raced further, his lungs stopped functioning properly.

_'Ichiru…' _Zero tried again, but his numb body refused to listen to him. It felt heavy, his head was pounding and darkness never stopped closing in on his tired mind. His eyes could barely remain open, but he couldn't allow coldness and sleep to overtake him just yet, no.

He couldn't leave Ichiru all alone. He had to stay awake; he had to stay with him…

_'Ichiru, don't…' _Zero implored his counterpart in his mind as he watched Ichiru tear into Kuran Rido's flesh with his sharp claws and fangs. For now he was winning, but even in his current condition Zero knew that it wouldn't last. The man was just too strong and dangerous…He was a _pureblood_, and that alone said it all. Which was why Ichiru needed to stop what he was doing and just…

_'Run,' _Zero mentally pleaded with his other half, foolishly hoping that Ichiru would somehow hear and actually _listen _to him.

But all was in vain, along with Zero's endless attempts to get his frozen weakened body to move and his voice to come out of his dry throat. And thus, terrified, he could only watch the events unfold before his half-closed eyes that were starting to quickly lose their focus.

Zero's heart nearly stopped when he saw Rido break free from Ichiru's hold.

Everything in his being froze with suffocating fear as he watched the pureblood turn around to strike back.

But then a huge wave of momentary relief washed over him when Ichiru successfully dodged the attack.

That feeling didn't last long, however, because the next thing his other half did was recklessly launch himself right back at his raging opponent.

For what seemed like too long a while, that battle continued.

Zero's vision began to blur, his eyes too tired to focus properly on anything and eyelids too heavy to stay open any longer. He blinked slowly a few times, hoping that it would help clear the dark mist he was currently seeing.

But when he was finally able to see again, a confused frown came to Zero's features. He couldn't help but think that he was hallucinating, for the sight before his eyes was too bizarre to believe.

A countless number of tiny flying black animals suddenly came from nowhere and filled the room. It took Zero a few seconds to realize they were bats, but that only made his bewilderment grow. He had to wonder whether he was still awake against all of his numb body's wishes.

His chest constricted. Apprehension joined the confusion. But then…

A shuddering breath made it past Zero's lips and filled his rigid lungs. The amount of relief that flooded through him at that very moment was immeasurable.

_'Kaname…' _

He could sense it now. That presence that seemed so familiar even though he had only gotten to feel it a few times throughout the years. Kaname _did _tend to always conceal it for some reason, after all…

Zero's pulse raced once more, but for an entirely different reason this time. He realized he could breathe again, his frozen body didn't feel as impossibly heavy, and panic finally began to recede. He suddenly felt warm and almost…serene…in spite of the situation he was still in. And then…

Then he remembered just how impossibly tired he was and how much he wanted to sleep, and this peaceful warmth did little to convince him otherwise.

There was a gentle pull somewhere in his subconsciousness. It was barely there, so Zero forgot about it the next moment – only its faint echo remained to remind him of the pleasant feeling.

Unwittingly, Zero followed its lead, his eyelids slowly began to droop.

But a part of him still remembered that he couldn't _leave_ just yet. He couldn't. Because…

_'Ichiru…' _Zero called internally, about to find his twin and re-focus his gaze on him.

But then there was a whisper of his name; soft and incredibly gentle. Everything in it seemed so familiar, so…welcoming…

In his clouded mind, Zero made only one small step towards that almost inaudible voice, but that was all it took.

Unexpectedly warm and somewhat familiar darkness enveloped him, and he finally slipped into blissful unconsciousness.

**-o- **

Barely dodging yet another one of Ichiru's frenzied attacks, Rido cursed inwardly as he felt an unpleasantly familiar presence of his _'dear nephew' _draw closer at disturbingly fast speed.

Sure enough, Kaname's 'timely' appearance wasn't at all unexpected. Rido had known from the very beginning that the fool would come for his beloved little hunter without fail, and he had known that it would happen sooner rather than later. And he had been more than prepared for it. It had all been a part of his plan and everything had been going according to it, after all. _Until…_

Rido struck right back at Ichiru after evading yet another assault of the blood-crazed hunter's sharp talons. This time around he managed to hit his mark – to his sadistic delight. Alas, the sustained injury didn't seem to have affected the boy in the slightest. He only continued his assaults – each more ferocious and unpredictable than the other.

_Until _this_ unforeseen 'circumstance' happened. _

Rido let out an angry growl when Ichiru managed to spill his precious pure blood once more. For a split second then, the teen disappeared from sight, his movements startlingly fluid and precise, before re-emerging seemingly out of nowhere and aiming savagely for Rido's neck.

If the man wasn't a pureblood gifted with so many advantages over all the other vampires, he probably wouldn't have managed to escape the unpredicted attack with hardly any serious wound. As it was, however, he had relatively successfully evaded it, but that was only a minor victory not even worth paying attention to, for he had too many problems to face right now.

_There was something wrong with this one… _

Rido knew for sure now; the boy was just too unlike any other vampire of his level – any vampire of _any _other levels, really.

His movements were too swift and smooth while being wild, predatory and very unpredictable. His aura was too strong and oppressive, his speed too high, his actions too smart, his instincts and reflexes too good.

_And he was getting better and better with every second of their unexpected fight… _

Rido gave a hiss when another one of Ichiru's strikes ended up drawing his blood.

_He _really _didn't have time for this. _

Not to mention that it was getting _way _too troublesome for his liking.

Mentally cursing once more, Rido backed as far away from Ichiru as possible using his superior pureblood speed.

Ichiru followed blindly, his claws and fangs bared and more than ready to tear his opponent apart. Before he could get close enough for attack, however, Rido's form transformed into a dark liquid mass and soon dissipated altogether.

And so the pureblood left.

**-o- **

Kaname's dark form slowly emerged from the black mass of his bat familiars that had consumed Zero just moments before, his eyes burning a vicious red, his face set into a grim expression and his very aura _screaming _of his deepest cold rage and strongest desire to tear something – or rather, _someone _– to shreds.

Alas, by the time he arrived Rido had already taken his leave. And while that made Kaname extremely frustrated and more than just eager to follow and hunt down the bastard, a part of him actually thought that it was better that way. Because as much as he and his inner beast wanted to simply _rip _Rido _apart_, Zero's well-being came first to both of them, so they had to give up on the idea of pursuit.

Thus, with a displeased growl and one last baleful glance in the direction Rido had left off to, Kaname turned to Ichiru, ready to ask the teen if he was okay, when…

The pureblood stopped dead in his tracks, frozen in place by what he was seeing and _sensing_. His heart began to race with involuntary apprehension that he would never admit to feeling, and an icy shiver slowly ran through his rigid form.

_'What in the world…' _Kaname thought to himself, motionless and unable to do anything but watch the one before him cautiously. It was only after a few very long moments of tense silence that he found his voice and spoke in a near whisper, "Ichiru…kun?"

It _was _Ichiru, alright. His outer appearance was almost the same as always, after all – save for the unusually elongated and sharpened fangs and dark talons, swirling with a bright crimson wild eyes and a disturbing amount of blood all over his slightly slouched in preparation for attack form.

It was his aura that had…_changed_…for some reason. It hadn't just shifted like it happened when one's emotions got the better of them. It had _completely changed_ – its very essence seemed to have completely morphed into something drastically different altogether.

_It screamed 'danger'. _

_It screamed 'murder'._

_It screamed 'hatred'. _

And every last bit of its violent intent and viciousness seemed to be meant _exclusively _for Kaname.

_'Well, what a surprise…' _the pureblood couldn't help the sarcastic thought that came with an internal snort. Ichiru still _was _himself after all, wasn't he?

A quiet growl interrupted the heavy silence between the two. Ichiru flexed his fingers and hunched further, as though preparing to leap forward.

Kaname's eyes narrowed at the sight. "Ichiru-kun…" he started warningly, his body instinctively preparing itself for a fight.

But that fight never happened.

Because the moment Ichiru tried to move forward, all strength left him, his mind suddenly got void of anything and everything, his head spun and his form fell lifelessly to the cold floor as darkness clouded his vision and dragged him into oblivion.

Kaname blinked, taken aback. After a few stunned seconds, crimson slowly retreated from his burgundy eyes, and he let out a quiet sigh of relief as he watched Ichiru's now unconscious bloodied form. Then, slowly, the brunet approached the younger teen.

And he watched.

And watched.

_And _watched some more, a thoughtful frown marring his features.

_What on earth had _that _been…?_

For another short while, Kaname stayed motionless. Then, with another small sigh, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and concentrated.

Flapping sounds filled the room as hundreds of tiny black bats came to life once more. As one, they descended and surrounded Ichiru's form, and soon the silver-haired teen was nowhere to be found, along with Zero and Kaname himself. Only the small bats remained. They fluttered around the room for another short while, and then flew away through broken windows, leaving the cold, dark place empty and eerily silent, never to return again.

**-o- **

Hazy lavender eyes fluttered open in the darkness of the unfamiliar room.

Still drowsy with sleep, they blinked a few times, trying to see their surroundings better, the dim moonlight being the only thing that somehow helped them in that task.

Everything in sight was indeed unfamiliar, so it was safe to say that Zero had no idea where he was. Strangely enough though, that wasn't a cause for concern. Something else, however, was. And that was the fact that...

_Ichiru... _

Zero could tell even without having to extend his arm out over the almost uncomfortably spacious bed to feel and make sure.

His brother wasn't with him...

He wasn't there sleeping right next to him like usually, and when Zero tried to detect Ichiru's familiar presence with his hunter senses, he failed miserably at that simple task.

And he didn't like it, to say the least. It made him feel way too uneasy and vulnerable. Not to mention the overwhelming worry that naturally came with not knowing where his other half was.

_'Ichiru…' _

"He is resting in another room," a familiar voice sounded, making Zero realize he had probably called his counterpart's name out loud. "You don't need to worry, Zero-kun. He is alright."

Zero's gaze turned towards the source of the voice, his eyes almost immediately finding the moonlit form of its owner who was sitting in a chair not far from the bed. As always, the man was a master at masking his presence and catching Zero off guard because of it.

"Kaname…" the teen breathed out, slowly sitting up, "What-" he continued, but didn't finish his sentence, his form suddenly tensing and eyes widening.

"…You remember what happened, don't you?"

Zero lowered his gaze, his fingers involuntary tightened on the blanket he was covered with. A small nod was his only response to Kaname's inquiry.

"I see…" was all the pureblood could say.

There was a long moment of silence. Then Kaname's voice sounded again. "I'm sorry."

Zero's eyes widened, his now startled gaze going to the brunet vampire. With a slight frown, he asked, "What are you apologizing for?"

Kaname didn't say anything, but his soulful eyes told Zero more than words could relay.

There was a sigh. Then the corners of Zero's lips went up to form an affectionately warm, gentle smile.

For a few seconds there, Kaname was unable to breathe. His pulse raced, and for a fleeting yet long enough moment, he was completely overcome by a wave of absolute happiness.

All because of a simple smile. Sure, it was one that Kaname always craved to have directed only at him, but still it was nothing more than a _simple smile_…

Now, if his reaction to itdidn't make him an utter fool, then what did…?

"It's not your fault, Kaname," Zero's voice sounded again, its tone gentle and soothing. Kaname could tell that Zero meant every word he said. He always did. "And besides, you are the one who saved us. Again. So don't go blaming yourself for something you had nothing to do with."

Guilty burgundy eyes dropped to the floor. _'No,' _Kaname internally disagreed, his fingers on one hand curling into a fist while the ones on the other tightened on the knuckles of that fist. _'You're wrong, Zero-kun. I had _everything _to do with it. Because I…' _

The pureblood lifted his eyes, a split second away from voicing his thoughts. But Zero spoke first.

"Is this your room?"

Kaname's racing mind stopped working briefly. He blinked, taken aback. For a few moments, he could do nothing but stare at Zero with wide bewildered eyes.

An uncharacteristic of Kaname _'Huh?'_ was all that came out of his mouth when he finally recovered from his weird short-lived stupor.

Zero couldn't help but chuckle softly at the other's more than just unusual response. His smile widened, quiet amusement obvious in his lavender eyes as he repeated his previous question, "Is this your room, Kaname?"

"Oh," Kaname blinked again, still in a slight daze. Then, with a small nod, he said, "Yes, it is."

Humming thoughtfully, Zero looked around. When he was finished, he gave a silent nod of his own and resumed speaking, "How come we've never been here before…? Now that I think about it, you were always the one who came to us and never the other way around…"

Kaname couldn't help but smile a fond yet somewhat sad smile as he watched Zero absently voice his thoughts.

"An instinct, perhaps?" he offered his answer to the hunter's most probably rhetorical question. "This place _is_ full of high-level vampires, after all. It is only wise to stay away from here."

"I guess…" Zero replied, his eyes lowered in thought for a few seconds before returning to Kaname's still smiling face. "But everyone here is different. There's you…And Ichiru is a vampire too…"

"Well, Ichiru-kun is…" Kaname's gaze lowered for a moment, his smile faltering. "He is different too." Garnet eyes settled on Zero anew, and the brunet's smile returned to his face. It turned a bit playful when he spoke next, "And I believe that he has a rather strong dislike for _some _of us, so it is no wonder that he prefers to stay away."

Zero let out a small snort of amusement, an apologetic smile already on his face and directed Kaname's way. In response to which the pureblood only shook his head silently, his own gentle smile never leaving his lips.

After a few moments of companionable silence, however, Kaname's good spirits slowly began to shift in the opposite direction as he watched anxious concern gradually take over Zero's features. He knew what the teen would ask even before the actual words left his mouth.

"Can I see him?"

And of course, to Kaname's chagrin, he couldn't be more right in his guess.

The pureblood ignored the bitterness that came over him at those moments – or tried his best to do so, at the very least – and answered with a soft, yet fake, smile, "Of course..."

Zero frowned. From that alone Kaname knew that the teen could clearly see right through his mask. He quickly got up and turned around before Zero could pick up on any more of his innermost feelings. "Follow me, Zero-kun."

Zero parted his lips to say something else, but the words got stuck in his throat and never made it out, because Kaname had already started for the door, his back turned to Zero. After a few moments of hesitation, the teen got up and followed suit.

The two entered another spacious room that Zero guessed was some sort of study. He couldn't distinguish much in the dark, but he knew what a writing desk and bookcases looked like when he saw ones. Soon enough they were out of that said room as well, and now walking down a wide, long hallway.

Zero knew they were getting closer to Ichiru, because he was finally able to sense him. Immediately, a huge wave of relief went through him. But the feeling quickly died down, because the next second Zero realized…

_Something was off... _

He tensed, his anxiety was back again.

_Ichiru's aura didn't feel the way it usually did. It seemed…_off_…somehow…Unstable even, for some reason. _

And that worried Zero, very much so. The desire to be by his other half's side was never _this _strong in him.

And to Zero's greatest relief, it wasn't long before that desire of his was fulfilled.

Upon entering the room Ichiru was in, Zero all but ran towards his counterpart's unconscious form on a spacious bed, never noticing Kaname's wistful gaze on him.

A soft sigh of relief came from the silver-haired teen when his eyes took in his brother's serene face. He didn't seem to be in pain or disturbed in any way, so maybe Zero's worries were for nothing this time around. At least so he hoped.

Careful not to disturb Ichiru's rest, Zero slowly lowered himself down on the edge of the bed. Immediately, he reached out to brush a few strands of his other half's identically silver bangs away from his face before carefully putting his palm on the younger teen's forehead.

Kaname blinked, his head tilting slightly to the side in something akin to wonder as he asked, "You do that quite often, don't you, Zero-kun?" When the said teen turned to him with a silent question clear in his lavender eyes, Kaname elaborated, "Feeling Ichiru-kun's forehead." Kaname could remember Zero doing it on numerous occasions. He had wondered about that action whenever he had seen it, but it was only now that he actually let his mild curiosity about it show.

Amethyst eyes widened in understanding. It looked like Zero himself hadn't been quite aware of his…habit…of sorts.

"Oh…" came from the silver-haired teen as he removed his hand from his twin's forehead, slightly self-conscious all of a sudden. "I didn't notice," he admitted.

A companionable silence settled over the room. Zero's hand returned to Ichiru's face again after only a few seconds of staying away. But this time it was there to brush a few stray locks of silver hair away from the younger teen's closed eyes.

"He used to be very sickly as a child…" Zero resumed speaking quietly after a while, his amethyst eyes slowly losing their focus as he got lost in memories. "He could never leave the bed, let alone the house, because of it. At first I couldn't really get why it was that way…Why Ichiru always needed to take a bunch of medicine that never actually seemed to help just to be fine, when I hardly ever caught a cold. Everything else about us was the same, after all…So I couldn't see any reason for such a distinct difference." Zero paused, a small rueful smile coming to his lips as he shook his head lightly at something only he knew.

After another few seconds of thoughtful silence, the silver-haired teen continued, "It was only when Ichiru sneaked a book about vampires from our parents' library that we found out why he was that way and why we were often referred to as 'the cursed twins'. But knowing that didn't really change anything. Ichiru was still as sickly as ever, and his condition kept worsening by the day, no matter how careful we were and what medicine he took. Our parents and master saw it, and Ichiru and I felt it, even if there were days when he was well enough to actually go outside."

Kaname listened quietly, watching Zero and paying attention to every subtle change in his expression. And his previous bitterness was forgotten, now replaced by sympathy and unexpected sadness.

"But his good condition never lasted for long. After a mere few hours outside he could easily come down with a fever and then stay in bed for days, if not weeks…So it was pretty common for mom and dad to feel Ichiru's forehead to check if he had a fever, just in case. And before I knew it, I started doing it too, even though Ichiru kept asking me not to because he hated it." A soft chuckle left Zero's lips at some rather endearing memories he had of his twin from their childhood. "He still does, actually. And yet I _still _seem to be doing it from time to time in spite of it."

Kaname couldn't help but smile and let out a small chuckle of amusement at that. "Yes, you certainly do," he said in reply.

Zero's only response was a sheepish smile sent the pureblood's way.

A few moments of companionable silence passed. Then Kaname's voice sounded again, "I have to say though, it is extremely difficult to imagine Ichiru-kun as a sickly child now."

Zero's soft smile turned slightly sad as he replied, "And back then it was impossible to imagine him as a healthy one, no matter how hard one might have tried. Even Ichiru himself gave up all hope of getting better at some point…"

Burgundy eyes widened. The last bit of information certainly took Kaname by surprise.

"Is that so…" he trailed off before continuing after a few moments, "I never thought of Ichiru-kun as someone who can give up…" And that was the truth. Kaname honestly doubted that the younger twin even knew how to give up. He was too stubborn for that.

"He can't. Normally, that is. He is just too stubborn for that," Zero replied, unknowingly voicing Kaname's exact thoughts.

And the pureblood himself, in turn, couldn't help but let out a small chuckle and agree, "Yes, that is certainly true."

Zero blinked, his eyebrows rising a bit and head tilting slightly to the side as he wondered for a moment about the reason for Kaname's sudden amusement. But when the brunet only shook his head in response to his questioning gaze, Zero chose to dismiss the matter with a light shrug of his shoulders and a soft smile that he couldn't keep off his lips for some reason.

The two remained quiet for some while, merely enjoying the relaxed, comfortable atmosphere around them as well as each other's familiar presences. Zero returned his attention to Ichiru, his hand immediately reaching out to pat his twin's head affectionately. Kaname could see that it was most probably an unconscious gesture on Zero's part – another habit of sorts, probably. Still, he couldn't help the painful tightness that he always felt in his chest whenever he witnessed one of many such sights. Even though he should have gotten used to it by now.

But then the air around Zero shifted, his expression changed and his form grew somewhat tense. He turned to Kaname, his lips parting to say something, but no sound made it out in the end.

A faint frown crossed Kaname's features briefly. Puzzled and a little worried now, the pureblood tilted his head slightly to the side, a wordless question visible in his deep garnet eyes.

For a few moments, Zero remained silent, hesitant. Then, at long last, he spoke, "Kaname, I-" But he broke off the next second, as someone knocked on the massive door of the room they were in.

Kaname sighed, all but glaring at the now offending wooden object and barely managing to suppress his irritation at the unwanted interruption. He would have been more than happy to ignore it and concentrate every bit of his attention on Zero, but the said teen was having none of that.

Smiling softly, Zero breathed a small sigh and shook his head. "No, it's nothing. You should probably go. Whatever it is, it seems urgent," Zero said, very clearly sensing Ichijou's anxiety from the other side of the door.

"But…" For some reason, Kaname had a strong feeling that it wasn't _'nothing'_, and he _really _didn't want to go anywhere.

"It's okay, really," Zero tried to assure the brunet. "And it can wait, so don't worry about it."

Kaname wasn't fully convinced. Nevertheless, he chose to comply with Zero's wishes and dismissed the matter for now. "If you say so…" he trailed off, a bit disappointed still. He turned around then and, casting Zero one last glance over his shoulder, said with a gentle smile, "I will see you later then, Zero-kun."

"Yeah," the silver-haired teen replied, nodding, "later…" He followed Kaname's retreating form with his eyes for another couple of seconds until the pureblood left, then his gaze returned to Ichiru.

For some while, Zero just sat there on the edge of the bed and watched his other half sleep peacefully. For the umpteenth time that night alone, his hand reached out all of its own accord to once again feel Ichiru's forehead, brush a few wisps of hair away from his face and then stroke his cheek tenderly.

With a soft sigh and a small content smile, Zero slowly got up and went to the other side of the spacious bed before carefully climbing into it and lying down next to his twin. Shifting closer to Ichiru, Zero took his counterpart's hand into his own under the thick blanket the two of them were covered with, closed his eyes and went to sleep.

**-o- **

_"I wonder why they call us 'cursed'…" little Ichiru voiced absently, immediately drawing Zero's attention away from a book he was reading. "We're not 'cursed', you know…" he continued in the same thoughtful manner, "Not at all."_

_Zero didn't offer a response to that – he was unable to, because he honestly didn't know what to say. So he just sat there on their shared bed and waited for his twin to continue. _

_Which Ichiru did, "We're both alive, even though one of us should have died…And we have each other…Sure, I hate my body for being like _this_, but I will find a way to become healthy one day," he said, his small fists tightening on his blanket. His gaze turned to Zero then, intent, determined and full of emotion. "I really _will_, nii-san. And we will be able to live normally then, just the two of us…"_

_Zero couldn't help but smile fondly at that notion. "That would be great. I'd like that very much, Ichiru. But you don't have to look for a way to get better all on your own, you know. I'll help you, and so will mom and dad."_

_Ichiru's countenance turned several degrees colder in an instant, his previously warm lilac eyes now steely. Zero noticed the change and he knew the reason for it, and it made his small chest tighten painfully. But he chose not to say anything about it and just listened to his twin as he answered next, "I don't think they would be very helpful. They gave up on me already anyway, so I'm fine without their help."_

_Zero's face fell, a quiet sigh leaving him. "Ichiru,-"_

_"It's okay though," Ichiru interrupted his counterpart, knowing pretty much every single word Zero wanted to say. "I'm happy so long as you're with me, nii-san. And I don't really need anyone else." And that was nothing but the honest truth. _

_Zero's chest tightened again, this time with very mixed emotions, but he still couldn't help a warm, gentle – albeit a bit uncertain – smile that made its way on his lips at those moments. "Yeah," he nodded almost imperceptibly, "me too…"_

_Ichiru couldn't be more content with Zero's answer._

**-o- **

Even with his mind hazy and still not fully awake, Zero knew for sure he had been in a position like this before. A long, long time ago, at the very night Ichiru had bitten him for the very first time.

A pair of burning crimson eyes stared intently at him, wild and hungry, anguished and panicked. They were so close Zero could see every little detail in their depths, every single emotion flickering in them, just like he could clearly feel their owner's ragged breathing on his face.

For a moment there, Zero's lavender eyes widened in shock and horror, his heart skipped a beat and panic began to rise within him. But then he recognized the familiar features so identical to his own, and all the fear and anxiety dissipated only to be replaced by calmness and relief.

_'Ichiru…' _Zero uttered softly in his mind, his hands slowly rising to cup Ichiru's face gently, and undeniable recognition immediately flickered in those blazing eyes. Automatically, his thumbs stroked his other half's cheeks, and for some reason, Ichiru's breathing seemed to start getting a little less ragged.

"Ichiru…" Zero repeated, this time out loud. "It's okay, you're okay," he said in a quiet, soothing tone in an attempt to placate his agitated twin. "Everything will be alright…"

Their gazes remained locked for a few long, still moments. Then Zero's hands moved from Ichiru's face to the back of his head, and, tilting his own head sideways, he slowly guided his other half to his bared neck.

Immediately, not waiting another second even to perform the usual necessary preparation, Ichiru sank his now longer and thirstier than normally fangs deep into the soft, warm skin presented before him and drank greedily, never even registering a muffled pained groan emitted by his beloved twin.

_He was so hungry…so terribly, _unbearably _hungry…_

And there was only one person in the whole world whose blood could _truly _satisfy him.


	21. Awakening Half

_**A/N:** And hello again! I'm finally back! Long time no see, huh? Sorry for the super long absence, dearests *bows* I feel terrible about it, but I've been really busy this whole time -_-; First I was working in Japan (that was some major business trip), and then when I got back a few weeks ago, I had to take care of all things here at home and all. _

_But! Now I'm back (God, finally!*tears of joy*) and I'm here with this brand new chapter. Truly hope that you'll enjoy reading it *bows* _

_Thank you all for your favs, alerts and, of course, for all your wonderful reviews – they always make me very happy and never fail to inspire me *nods* _

_Disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. Oh, and all mistakes are mine, as always. _

_And now without further ado...please enjoy! :D _

**Chapter 21: Awakening Half**

A whole classroom lit up with numerous pairs of vampire eyes burning with bloodlust. Every occupant of the room went rigid, unconsciously drawing in a deep breath. Their instinctive urge was to get up and follow the sweet scent of warm blood right out of the vein, but they had to resist it, for they could already _feel _their pureblood leader's powerful hold on them. Not to mention his suffocating aura that was all over them, reaching all the way from the Moon Dormitory.

"Whose is it?" Souen Ruka asked no one in particular after some while of tense silence, discreetly sniffing the air once more. "I don't recognize it…"

"It's Kiryuu's," Aidou Hanabusa replied absently, secretly taking another deep breath.

Ruka's nose cringed at the sound of the name. She didn't like either of the twins. One was too rude and disrespectful towards her beloved Kaname-sama while the other one was way too friendly with him. But she asked anyway, "Which one's?"

"The elder one's."

"How can you tell?"

"I smelled it before."

"Yeah, and you even tasted it," Kain Akatsuki joined in the exchange then.

"What?!" Ruka exclaimed in shock. "When did _that _happen?"

"A while ago," Kain replied calmly before continuing, now talking to his cousin, "But I have to say I'm amazed you're still alive after that, Hanabusa." Not far from him, Ichijou Takuma, who had just recently returned to class, nodded silently in agreement.

"Again, what are you talking about?" It was obvious Aidou genuinely had no idea _why _on earth his precious pureblood leader should have been angry with him to _that _extent. "It wasn't that big of a deal!" Certainly not enough to get him such an excruciatingly humiliating punishment in the end – at least in Aidou's mind. "And why is Kiryuu bleeding anyway? Shouldn't we go and check or something?"

"So that you could have another taste?" Shiki Senri spoke this time in his usual bored tone while munching on a pocky. "You really never learn, do you, Aidou?"

"Wha-!? That's not what I meant!" Aidou exclaimed indignantly. "I just thought maybe we should go check if he's okay! All out of the goodness of my heart!" He finished with a huff.

"Oh, so now you're worried about him?"

"What?! No! Of course not!" Why in the world would he be?

"Then why are you so eager to go and check?" It was Ichijou's turn to join in the fun and tease poor Aidou a little.

"I am not!" The level of frustration in the younger blond's voice grew by the second. And so did the slight flush on his cheeks.

"Then why even suggest the idea?"

"Because I'm curious!"

"And why are you so curious, Aidou-kun?"

"T-that's because…" Aidou faltered, a bit lost for words for once. "Argh! Just because I am!" He exclaimed before crossing his arms over his chest and turning away with a huff. His brow twitched when he heard a few chuckles and snorts, but he chose to pointedly ignore it.

Silence settled over the group. Then, after a while, Aidou spoke again.

"So are we going to go and check or what?"

Heavy sighs followed the question.

"Honestly, Hanabusa..." Kain started, shaking his head. "You really never learn, do you?"

**-o-**

It was her third or even fourth glass of water, and yet the terrible thirst Yuuki was currently suffering from didn't seem to be even getting close to being quenched.

She had woken up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. No nightmares, no weird and scary visions, no blood... For the first time in what seemed like a very long while, everything was fine. She hadn't even realized what had woken her up. Until…

There had been that faint scent in the air. So sweet and delicate and…so _delicious_…It had made her mouth water, her chest hurt, her teeth throb – strangely and inexplicably – and her throat go dry and burn.

But that scent had vanished as suddenly as it had come. And yet the burning thirst it had awoken inside of her hadn't. On the contrary, it only seemed to be getting stronger and more intense with every passing moment.

_'So thirsty…' _

She was parched. And it hurt. It hurt so, so much…

_'Thirsty…' _

She filled another glass with water and all but gulped it down greedily in one go, uncaring of some trickles that escaped her mouth and ran down her chin, making the upper front of her nightgown wet.

**-o-**

Numb, bitter and quietly furious, Kaname stood still in front of a wooden door that led to a room he had left only a few hours prior, doing his damnedest not to enter and interrupt what he knew was happening there.

And oh, how much he wanted to do just that and _so _much more...The temptation was great – it had been there for quite some time now, but it had never been _this _strong. But the result of his imaginary actions wouldn't be pretty, and Zero would surely hate him if he were to give in to his raging instincts, so...

So he could do nothing but stay where he was, close his burning with vivid red eyes, take a few slow, deep breaths and…

Putting a tight leash on his ugly inner beast, he held back and waited.

Waited…

Waited…

And _waited…_

He was so _exceptionally _good at it, after all.

A bitter chuckle left Kaname's lips, a rueful smile made its way on his features.

And as he stood there in the dark, he couldn't help but wonder…

Why would the universe or whatever it was that made things happen have it so that two people who had the same face, same voice, even same gestures and habits – all of which Kaname loved with every fiber of his foolish hopeless being – would be so completely different on the inside? And how could someone like _Zero_ love so deeply someone like _Ichiru_...?

Kaname had heard it somewhere that in human world twins were but one soul split in half. Same on the outside, but completely different on the inside, like two sides of one coin – forever connected by some invisible, incomprehensible to the rest of the world bond. They were thought to even be capable of reading each other's mind and literally _feeling _each other's pain and distress. Apparently, that was why they saw each other as 'other half' – along with pretty much everyone around them.

Quite frankly, Kaname didn't believe twins really could do even one third of what people deemed them capable of – mind reading especially so. In his eyes, they were two separate beings that just knew each other well enough to often predict the other's actions and reactions. Nothing more and nothing less. But reluctant as he was to admit it, he couldn't deny the fact that they were indeed forever bound together by some invisible force that would keep parts of their souls captive for all eternity. Zero's unfading unconditional love and forgiveness for Ichiru – even after everything the latter had managed to do to their family and Zero himself – proved it all too well.

And that did nothing to help Kaname's frustration and slowly growing despair dissipate.

It did seem like the universe was cruelly mocking him for all of his past life's sins. But then again...

Then again, paradoxical as it was, such love Zero had for Ichiru gave Kaname hope. Hope that, if Zero could actually have such sincere and deep feelings of absolute love and acceptance towards his twin, then maybe, just maybe, he could actually…

_A sharp breath, the pureblood's heart beginning to pound harder against his ribcage at the notion he himself thought was ridiculous. _

He could actually grow to love even_ him…_

Kaname's chest tightened.

Foolish as he knew it was, Kaname could never give up that last bit of hope no matter how hard he tried to make himself do so. Something would just _always _pull him back. And that something was his own weakness and strongest lack of desire to give Zero up and move on.

And so he kept waiting.

Waiting…

Waiting...

_And_ waiting…

Kaname _was _remarkably good at it, after all, wasn't he…?

**-o- **

It felt like a whole eternity had passed when Kaname finally found it in himself to push the door in front of him open and step into the room. The sight that greeted him there was one he very much expected to see, but still, it made his chest tighten painfully as he kept his unwavering gaze on it, involuntarily fascinated.

There Zero was, carefully tucking a still unconscious Ichiru in, gently brushing a few stray wisps of hair away from his forehead, and then settling against a headboard to watch over his twin while his hand slowly – and more than likely unconsciously – caressed the younger teen's head.

Kaname had really by now lost the count of times he had been a witness to such a display of gentle affection and quiet protectiveness from Zero. And every time it evoked mixed feelings within him. Familiar pain, bitterness and ugly jealousy on one hand and...strangely enough, unstoppable endearment and incomprehensible warm sadness on the other. It both annoyed and amazed him – the amount and deepness of unconditional devotion Zero had for Ichiru.

"Zero-kun…" Kaname called quietly, slowly making his way towards the bed.

Zero paused in his actions, frozen for a second, and turned around, his gaze immediately settling on Kaname, his lips automatically uttering the said man's name in a barely audible tone.

The pureblood didn't miss the way Zero's hand moved up to cover the side of his neck – which Kaname had noticed right away from the very beginning was covered in blood. He could tell the teen wasn't comfortable with him seeing the sight. He even thought he had detected guilt flash in those familiar amethyst orbs, and some part of him – a sadistic, ugly part – was triumphant about it.

But Kaname immediately assumed that it was nothing but his wishful thinking, that he was only seeing things his foolish self wanted him to see, so he dismissed the impossible happening altogether, choosing to concentrate on other matters at hand instead.

Zero had already fully turned around to face him when Kaname lowered himself on the edge of the bed. Wordlessly, he took hold of Zero's wrist and gently brought the teen's hand closer to himself, his thumb unconsciously moving against the pale skin there in light, soothing circles.

Zero blinked, his brows furrowing in bewilderment and head tilting slightly to the side in curious wonder. He offered no resistance to Kaname's actions, knowing very well that the other meant him no harm. But then Kaname started to slowly pull the hunter's hand up and to his mouth, his head lowering ever so slightly towards the bloodied – as Zero _just_ noticed – palm.

Lavender eyes widened, Zero's breath caught in his throat, his heart suddenly skipped a beat and then raced.

Kaname picked up on every change in Zero's demeanor and heard and _felt _every sound due to his impeccably sharp pureblood vampire senses. Immediately, he assumed that the reason for such reaction was fear, and a small bitter smile graced his features. However…

It wasn't fear that Zero was feeling at the moment – at least not the usual fear in its typical sense. Maybe it was there in the mix, too, but it was something else entirely, something completely different. What, Zero didn't know, and he doubted that he even wanted to know what _exactly_ it was that he was currently struggling with.

"K-Kaname…" Zero started hesitantly, but stopped, unable to muster a single word out of himself when hot lips and an even hotter tongue touched the skin of his palm – their owner completely ignoring the quiet utterance of his name.

Silence settled over the room as Kaname slowly and deliberately licked blood from Zero's palm, barely managing to conceal small tremors that raked his form as he savored every drop of the desired nectar.

Zero watched Kaname's expression carefully, transfixed, a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

No word sounded from either of the two even as Kaname finished cleaning Zero's palm off blood and, edging closer to the hunter, leaned in, placed his hand on the undamaged side of the teen's neck and started slowly licking blood off the opposite side.

Zero's pulse sped up further, his form tense. He couldn't help wondering in bewilderment at his own weird reaction.

It wasn't the first time Kaname was doing it. There had been occasions in the past, so it wasn't something new and unknown. But then, why…

_Why did it feel so different this time around…? _

_What had changed…? _

Zero didn't know, he couldn't even begin to guess the right answers to these questions. And for some reason, he doubted he was ready to find out.

Gradually, Zero managed to will the tension in his form away – and for that Kaname was endlessly grateful. The hunter sat there, still yet much more relaxed now, quietly waiting for the pureblood to finish his self-appointed task.

Which happened soon enough, as there hadn't been much serious damage done to Zero's neck to begin with anyway.

Giving one final deliberate lick to the pale and now completely healed skin before him, Kaname slowly withdrew, but not too far.

Amethyst gaze collided and locked with faintly burning with crimson burgundy one. For what felt like a very long while, Zero couldn't help but simply stare at those dark depths, unwittingly mesmerized by the vivid red lightening them up now and again.

Then Zero's eyes lowered, his attention settling on Kaname's mouth – or more precisely, on his fangs that were poking slightly from behind his lips. Somewhat fascinated, he gazed at them, his hand slowly rising towards the pureblood's mouth of its own accord. Carefully, tentatively, Zero brushed the pink lips before him with his fingers.

Kaname's breath hitched, an involuntary shiver ran down his spine and his pulse raced, his agitated heart ready to burst out of his ribcage. He actually felt light-headed.

Letting out a shaky breath, Kaname opened his mouth a bit, allowing Zero to touch his still – and now even more so – aroused fangs.

Which Zero did, albeit hesitantly, his gaze never leaving the object of his sudden fascination.

The touch was unsure and only lasted for a split second, but feeling it as well as being the sole center of Zero's undivided attention was enough to make Kaname's head spin.

Taking in his suddenly suffocating lungs a deep breath, the pureblood involuntarily pulled away from Zero a bit.

Amethyst eyes widened, realization flashing in them. "Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Zero started apologizing, only now realizing what he had done. Pale cheeks reddened, the hunter also shifted to help put some distance between them. "I'm sorry, Kaname." He completely misunderstood Kaname's reaction.

Which the pureblood didn't fail to notice, and he couldn't decide whether he should try and clear the misunderstanding or simply be grateful that the reason for his embarrassing response hadn't been as obvious as he had thought.

"There is no need to apologize, Zero-kun," Kaname said with a small smile, having managed to get himself under control enough to be able to speak in his usual calm, even tone. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Far from that, actually. Kaname couldn't even begin to describe how foolishly happy – albeit very much breathless, embarrassingly nervous and doubting his own state of mind and consciousness – he had been in the past minute or so. But he guessed Zero didn't really need to know that little bit of information.

Kaname did wonder about Zero's rather sudden actions though, and he wanted to satisfy his curiosity by asking, but...

His smile widened to its usual warm, kind and gently adoring whenever it was directed at Zero self. "You should rest, Zero-kun."

He decided against asking in the end.

"Mm," Zero gave a slow, absent-minded nod, only now realizing how tired and sleepy he actually was.

Kaname slowly rose to his feet. "I will see you tomorrow then. Sleep well, Zero-kun." He made to turn and walk away, but before he could do that, a warm hand suddenly grabbed his.

The pureblood froze. Not for the first time that night, his heart stopped before it started performing some bizarre dance in his chest.

He seriously needed to start learning how to handle himself and his uncontrollable reactions to _certain _things better. Because the way he was in that regard now was just too frustrating for his liking.

Thankfully, though, his involuntary responses and inner torment weren't as obvious to Zero as they were to him. So Kaname was spared what was considered embarrassment in his mind once again.

"Thank you," Zero said quietly, looking up at the pureblood with nothing but honest gratitude in his eyes. His fingers involuntarily squeezed the hand in his tighter, and Kaname had to do his damnedest to concentrate his attention on Zero's next words rather than on the sensations that simple touch was causing. "Thank you for everything, Kaname. Really…"

Zero meant every word he said, and Kaname knew it. He saw, knew and understood it. And he...well, he couldn't help but feel happy about it.

Kaname's smile returned, sweet and gentle, and he gave the hunter's hand a reassuring squeeze as he replied quietly, "You are welcome."

Neither moved or said a word for a few long moments. Then, ever so slowly, Zero let go and Kaname complied, albeit reluctantly. The pureblood retreated to the door and, with another warm smile and a soft _'__Good night__'_, he left.

"...Good night…" Zero replied absent-mindedly, his gaze never leaving the closed door.

**-****o- **

Somehow everything around felt a bit different to Ichiru when he woke up. He couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly it was that had changed, but it had – he knew it had, felt it with every fiber of his being that suddenly felt so...awake and aware...So much so that the familiar world around him seemed somewhat new and unknown all of a sudden.

Ichiru blinked, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling before him unseeingly.

It was dark, but he saw everything perfectly. Nothing new – he was a vampire, after all, so he was used to it, but…

It was like his eyesight had gotten even better and clearer during his long – at least it did seem like quite a long while to him somehow – rest.

Another blink, some clarity returning to lilac eyes. Absently, Ichiru wondered where he was.

Pale fingers twitched. Ichiru knew they were his, he had felt them move, but they still felt foreign to him for some reason. He flattened his hand against the sheets beneath him and slowly moved it from one side to another, only now noticing how soft and silky the fabric under his fingertips was.

Still dazed violet orbs never shifted their attention from the ceiling as Ichiru continued to slowly explore.

He took a deep breath. As expected, the room was unfamiliar even in that regard. But among foreign scents that overwhelmed his senses, there was one…

_'No, two…' _Ichiru mentally corrected himself.

There were two distinct scents that he knew well. One Ichiru chose to disregard, cringing in obvious distaste, whereas the other…

He drew another deep breath, trying to separate that comforting, familiar scent from all the others, to concentrate on it, to embrace it. A small content smile made its way on Ichiru's lips, his form relaxed – it was only now that he realized how tense he had been.

He was there. Zero was there with him, right by his side, like always…

Slowly, Ichiru turned his head to the side, and his smile immediately widened at the sight of Zero sleeping peacefully next to him. For a while, he just watched his other half's relaxed features, carefully taking in every detail as though it was the first time he laid his eyes on his twin. Then he turned over and rose to his hands and knees, hovering over Zero's unconscious form. For another while, Ichiru lost himself in studying every bit of his counterpart's familiar features.

But at some point a no less familiar sound caught his attention, and Ichiru's gaze slowly lowered to stop at Zero's chest.

Violet eyes blinked in wonder, their owner's head titling slightly to the side.

For a few long, long moments, Ichiru just stared, as though hypnotized. Then, ever so slowly, he lowered himself to lean his head on Zero's evenly rising and falling chest, his ear pressed to it.

And he listened.

Listened.

And listened.

Closing his eyes, Ichiru let out a deep sigh, carefully lay down atop his twin so as not to disturb his rest and enclosed him in a tight yet gentle embrace. And he continued to listen to the somewhat soothing sound of his other half's steady heartbeat, a small contented smile making its way on his face.

That was exactly how Zero found Ichiru a few minutes later upon waking up.

Hazy amethyst eyes blinked, a faint frown creased the older teen's features.

_'Ichiru…?' _

Zero's hands automatically moved to stroke Ichiru's silver hair in spite of his still pretty much half-asleep state.

Ichiru sighed contentedly at the contact and rubbed his cheek against Zero's chest, his arms tightened around his counterpart's form.

"Ichiru?" Zero called softly, his fingers continuing to glide through his twin's silky strands gently.

Ichiru only hummed lazily in response, never opening his eyes.

Zero couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle at his counterpart's endearing behavior. "Are you alright?"

Another lazy _'Hmm?' _sounded from Ichiru before he raised his head and gave an actual reply, "Never better." Blinking, he tilted his head to the side and asked, "Why?"

"...What's the last thing you remember, Ichiru?"

Ichiru frowned. "The hunt…"

"I see...Then…do you remember what happened?"

Ichiru's frown deepened. "I…" His gaze lowered, now thoughtful. He thought back to the hunt, trying to recall the events of that day, but…

Violet eyes widened with startling realization, and Ichiru slowly got up. He took a look around, only now paying attention to his surroundings for real. It didn't help him remember what had happened, nor find out how he had ended up where he was, but at least...

"I don't," Ichiru replied at long last, returning his attention to Zero, who was now sitting up as well. "But I'm guessing it wasn't anything nice, since it was probably what led us here, to the Moon Dorms, of all places."

That took Zero by surprise.

"How did you…"

But then again, it was _Ichiru_, after all. Always the quietly observant one, always his quick-witted self no matter what.

With a small smile, Zero shook his head, "No, never mind." He stretched his hand out to pet his twin's head. "I'm glad you're okay."

Ichiru sat still, quietly watching his other half and secretly reveling in pure affection and relief he could see written on Zero's face.

His heartbeat quickened.

Slowly, carefully, Ichiru took Zero's hand and brought it to his cheek, his eyes closing and a soft sigh of content escaping him.

"I'm sorry, nii-san," Ichiru said after some while of silence. He opened his eyes and lifted his gaze before continuing, "Sorry for making you worry again."

Ichiru honestly had no idea what exactly he was apologizing for, but he did so because he felt the need to. He could tell he had caused his twin great distress – even if he hadn't meant to. After all, it was always like that. Zero would always worry about him and his well-being, and the sentiment would always be mutual. In that regard, they couldn't be more alike.

A tender smile came to Ichiru's lips at the thought. He closed his eyes and nuzzled Zero's palm, taking in a deep breath.

Ichiru's heartbeat quickened further.

Unconsciously, he shifted his attentions to the pale wrist just millimeters away from his lips, mouthing it slowly, carefully. His heart skipped a beat and his head became somewhat dizzy, a small frown marred his features as he tried to steady himself.

Violet eyes half opened, now hazy and with crimson slowly creeping into them. As Ichiru pulled away a bit, his gaze shifted to the smooth, porcelain skin right in front of him. He blinked in fascination, his head tilting slightly to the side as a beautiful, intricate map of life spread out before his very eyes.

He idly wondered what it would feel like to touch every thin line there, to bite into every thriving blood vessel, then follow the path to the very core that would be the heart and…

_What would it feel like to tear it out and drain it of its every drop of blood…? _

Ichiru's form went completely rigid, his eyes widened in horror – red in them disappearing altogether.

"Ichiru...?" sounded Zero's familiar voice with first bits of incipient worry evident in it. "What is it, Ichiru?"

Ichiru didn't reply – he couldn't.

'What…'

Blinking, the younger teen came out of his momentary daze. He looked at the wrist before him as though he was seeing it for the first time.

'What in the world…'

Lilac eyes followed a path from the wrist in his hold along a sleeve covering his brother's arm. It was normal, nothing out of the ordinary – no intertwined rivulets calling out to him, tempting him, no pulsating blood vessels right on the surface for him to drain.

'...was _that_…?'

When Ichiru's gaze shifted to Zero's chest, he got his confirmation. _There was nothing wrong with him, nothing out of the ordinary...Right…? _

There was no way he could just..._see _someone's _insides _like that. It had been an illusion, right? It _must _have been…

"Ichiru?" Zero called again, and Ichiru started. "What's wrong?"

Taking a deep breath, Ichiru met Zero's worried gaze. "Nii-san, I…"

He...what? What was he supposed to say? He didn't even know what..._that _had been. And...had it even been _real_?

"I…" Lowering his gaze, Ichiru unconsciously squeezed Zero's hand that he only now realized he was still holding. Silence settled between the two for a few long seconds. Then, slowly breathing out, Ichiru continued with a shake of his head, "No...It's nothing, nii-san."

Zero frowned, nowhere near reassured by his brother's words. But before he could voice his doubtful thoughts, Ichiru spoke again, "I guess I'm just a bit tired and confused...that's all." Lilac eyes met his once more, and Zero could see the usual clarity and calm within them. That, along with a soft smile gracing his other half's features certainly helped ease his worry a bit, but still…

"...Are you sure?" Zero asked, even though he knew that the answer he would get would more than likely be only half-truth.

Ichiru's smile widened, his eyes warm and alive with tenderness. "Mm," he nodded.

_There was nothing wrong with him... _

Ichiru shifted closer to Zero and reached for the back of his counterpart's neck with his free hand. Gently, he pulled Zero towards himself, their foreheads now touching. "I really am fine." At least for now… "So stop worrying, nii-san."

_He was okay. Or, at the very least, he would be._

_...Right…? _

**-o- **

"What was that just now?" Aidou jumped up from an armchair he had been quietly reclining in reading one of his books, his gaze directed upstairs. "Creepy. I almost feel sick," he added, an unpleasant shudder going down his spine at the mere memory of the sickening feeling he had gotten just moments before.

"Hmm?" Kain drawled lazily before asking with a small frown, "What are you talking about, Hanabusa? I didn't feel anything."

"_Huh_?!" Aidou exclaimed exasperatedly, his turquoise eyes wide with baffled shock. "What are _you _talking about, Akatsuki? How could anyone miss _that_?!"

"Explain what _'that' _is, and maybe then I will be able to answer that question," the fiery-haired noble replied, calm as ever.

Which couldn't be said about his cousin, who was getting more frustrated by the second. "_'That' _is _'that'_!"

A skeptical eyebrow rose. "Yeah, very detailed. And even more intelligible."

"Argh! You're such an insensitive idiot! And you call yourself a noble vampire?!" Aidou continued with an accusatory finger pointed at his still unimpressed cousin.

"I don't call myself anything. I _am _a noble vampire. That _is _my social status, after all, in case you forgot."

"I didn't forget anything! I'm telling you you're a shame to our glorious race!"

'_'Glorious race'_? Really now…' Kain heaved a deep sigh, feeling tired all of a sudden. "Whatever, Hanabusa," he replied, trying to change the subject – he knew very well that it would be so much easier that way. "Just tell me what it was that got you so agitated and get it over with."

"I _have _told you already! Haven't you been listening to me?" This time it was an accusatory look that Aidou sent Kain's way as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Another deep, deep sigh came from the fiery-haired vampire. "I believe I have." Which he probably shouldn't have, since it wouldn't matter anyway.

"Well, then-"

"It felt a bit like Kaname," sounded Ichijou's voice as he entered the lounge room the two cousins were occupying. Kain heaved an involuntary sigh of relief. Never in his life had he been so happy to see Ichijou. "Maybe you somehow angered him _again_, Aidou-kun?" the older blond finished with his usual cheery smile.

"Wha-! I didn't do anything!" Aidou immediately denied the suggested idea, offended. "And besides, it wasn't Kaname-sama! Even when angered, he doesn't feel like that at all!" Then Aidou's posture changed and he actually looked proud for reasons Kain couldn't even begin to comprehend. "Trust me, I know!" the younger blond finished, nodding to himself with an almost triumphant smile on his face.

Kain gave another sigh, shaking his head in disbelief. How could _anyone _in their right mind consider _that _a genius?

Ichijou let out a hearty chuckle, genuinely amused by both cousins and their reactions. It was always so much fun to be with them. "If you say so, Aidou-kun. But…" tilting his head slightly to the side, Ichijou asked, "What was it then?"

Seriousness returned to Aidou's features as he pondered the question before answering, "I don't know...But I don't think it was a pureblood. It felt different…" He frowned deeply, continuing, "More like a Level E mixed with something akin to a pureblood," the blond concluded, involuntarily shuddering at the mere idea. "Disgusting…" he added, in a lower tone.

Kain remained silent while Ichijou only hummed thoughtfully before inquiring, "You think so?"

Aidou's reply was immediate, "Of course I do. It _is _disgusting. And it feels so, too."

"Maybe, but it's so interesting!" Ichijou exclaimed, excited all of a sudden.

"You meant to say 'disturbing'. Just imagine what a Level E with a pureblood's abilities or a pureblood with a Level E's insanity and lack of control could do."

"Well, that certainly _is _scary," Ichijou replied with a sheepish laugh. "But that is what makes it so exciting, wouldn't you agree?" He finished, his ever-present smile never leaving his features.

"...You do have some weird tastes, Ichijou."

"Yeah," the older blond nodded before adding cheerily, "that I know."

**-****o- **

In a secluded mansion somewhere far, far away in the middle of thick forests, Hiou Shizuka stood in her favorite garden of ever-blooming cherry blossoms watching the full moon high up in the night sky.

A small sigh sounded, pink eyes slid shut. A soft smile came to Shizuka's lips as a slight breeze caressed her face and played with her long silver hair. "What a pleasant night…" she said thoughtfully, "wouldn't you agree, my dear Maria?"

Kurenai Maria jumped a bit, startled, her eyes widening and a light blush coming to her cheeks. "Y-you have noticed my presence, Shizuka-sama…" she responded quietly, her gaze lowered in embarrassment. "I'm sorry…"

Shizuka let out a soft chuckle. Looking over her shoulder at the younger girl, she replied, "Whatever for, child? You did nothing wrong."

Maria didn't say anything, still blushing and unable to meet her pureblood relative's gaze.

Another chuckle sounded, then Shizuka asked, "What is on your mind, child? You have been standing there for quite some time without saying a word…"

"I...I'm sorry, Shizuka-sama, it's just that...you seemed preoccupied, so I…I didn't want to disturb you…" the girl finished, looking up shyly.

"Is that so…" yet another small chuckle came from the pureblood before she continued, "Well, I suppose you are right. There _is_ something on my mind..."

"If I may ask…" Maria started, unable to hold back. But she faltered when somewhat amused pink orbs turned their attention to her, and instead of finishing her thought, she lowered her gaze again and said, "No...it's nothing…"

Shizuka's smile widened in amusement. Wordlessly, she returned her attention to the sky above her to appreciate the moon's beauty anew.

Complete silence settled over the place.

It was only after some while that Shizuka chose to disturb it with her next words.

"Some years ago I met a child…an adorable, sweet, but very sad, sad child – a hunter child...In spite of his heritage, he was weak and sickly, and he didn't have a lot of time left to live. So he asked me to save his life and make him stronger, never actually hoping that I would agree – he was a very smart child even at his tender age, after all, and I believe he knew the odds of a pureblood vampire granting that wish of his…"

Contemplative silence followed, and when it stretched a bit, Maria asked carefully, "And...did you...?"

Shizuka's gaze lowered, thoughtful. "I did."

Maria's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean...you gave him your blood?"

There was a nod, then an actual reply sounded, "That, too."

'_'Too'_…? Then…'

"I have never met anyone more suited to be a vampire. I believe it would not be an understatement to say that he was born to become one of us. So I gave him a new life. And I did it right after I murdered his parents."

Maria froze, shocked.

Shizuka continued, "Due to his fragility and poor health, he could...no, I believe he _should _have died from the bite. But he survived, and he got stronger."

"That hunter child...Where is he now?" Maria inquired.

"That is exactly what I have been wondering...how my dear children are doing and where they are…"

At that a puzzled frown crossed Maria's features. "'Children'…?" she repeated, her head tilting to the side in a wordless inquiry.

"He had a brother, that hunter child. A twin brother," the pureblood woman explained.

'Hunter twins...then…' Maria finished her thought out loud, "You are talking about the cursed twins of the Kiryuu clan, Shizuka-sama...?"

"'Cursed', you say…" Shizuka let out a small chuckle, both amused and bitter. "Indeed...I suppose they _are _cursed...in a way…"

"...The other one…did you…?"

Shizuka shook her head, "No, I never bit him."

"Eh? But...why?"

"Because such was our agreement with the younger boy," Shizuka explained before adding with a soft smile, "And although I did not turn the elder one, for some reason I cannot help considering him my other poor little son…"

_For the darkness would eventually consume him, too. And he would accept it, because there would be no other choice left…_

"Perhaps...I should consider paying my two dear boys a visit sometime soon…"


End file.
